This 12th of May, the midterm Senatorial elections will be held– an often overlooked but no less important election in our democratic system. After all, the Philippines is not governed by one, but by many moving parts and political actors for the sake of checks and balances. The question is whether we, the voters, empower it with our participation.

To review, our government comprises three main branches: judicial, legislative, and executive. In the simplest understanding, the legislative branch writes the law, the executive branch decides to enforce it, and the judicial branch defends it. These, of course, come with exceptions and special powers for each. Along with the House of Representatives, the midterm senatorial election covers 12 of the 24 total seats in the Senate, for terms lasting six years: three under our current President and another three under the next in order to allow Filipinos to either bolster or balance out the rule of the President. This includes drafting and voting on bills, as well as investigations, probing, and other research into other government agencies.
Our votes this May influence Philippine politics as an anchor for both the rest of this presidency and the first half of the next. Thus, representing yourselves and those you identify with may manifest in the law through steps taken, gradually or otherwise.
Continuing its legacy of empowering young voters, The Rundown 2025: A Youth-Oriented Senate Elections Forum is a non-partisan event organized for the youth, by the youth. This year’s forum returns onsite with the theme “Kinabukasan ng Kabataang Pilipino: Karapatan, Kaligtasan, at Kalayaan.” The goal is clear: to inspire young Filipinos to take an active role in securing their rights, safety, and freedom through meaningful dialogue and informed votes.
Scheduled for Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 4:00 PM, this event will be held in Benito Sy Pow Auditorium, UP Diliman, Quezon City, co-presented by ABS-CBN and live streamed by Rappler and other Media Partners. For more information, visit The Rundown’s official Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok pages. To get in touch, contact us at relations.rundown@gmail.com.