It’s often been said that preparations for the next elections in the Philippines start immediately after the last one. Sometimes, even before the winners are proclaimed.
And this early, we’ve been hearing stories about how some winning (and losing) candidates in the last May polls are already planning their next moves for the 2025 midterm elections.
For instance, there’s this candidate in Laguna’s 1st district who, according to rumors, is planning a “balik-bayan” after he was defeated in his attempt to catch a seat in another city (let’s call this City No. 1) in the province last May.
Sources said that this losing candidate had, allegedly, recently asked permission to a political boss of another progressive city in the province (City No. 2, for reference) to run for a local position in the 2025 elections
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The big question, our sources told us, is whether that political boss is even willing to give this losing candidate a chance.
For one, the current ruling coalition of City No. 2 has plans of its own, especially with rumors swirling around that this city’s lone congressional district might be split into two just in time for the 2025 polls.
And another thing, where will this Losing Politician stick himself to?
It’s no secret that in City No. 1, where he jumped ship in last May’s polls, he tried to ingratiate himself with the two rival parties in the city’s tightly-contested mayoralty race. “Namangka siya sa dalawang ilog,” as a timeworn Filipino phrase went.
Losing Politician’s PR guy even went so far as to distort the historical narrative in a desperate attempt to prove that his client also had roots in City No. 1, when everyone knew he clearly came from City No. 2.
And everyone knew what happened next: he lost to another candidate who was more entrenched and more popular in that city.
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The big question among political insiders in City No. 1 had been, after suffering a humiliating defeat in that city, will Losing Politician decide to return to his roots?
Well, if sources were to be believed, then we’ve got the answer to that question now, even if the next elections are still three years away.
But, as we’ve pointed out earlier, will the big political bosses in City No. 2 still accept him?
Take note that this city’s ruling coalition delivered one of their biggest victories last May, as the opposing party’s decision to ally themselves with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. was apparently no match to the incumbents’ “stellar performance” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It may not be far-fetched to say that Losing Politician’s career in the local provincial scene may soon hit a wall, unless he manages to create a miracle of sorts that will convince City No. 2’s political bosses to accept him into their fold once more.