Aquino, Pangilinan top Senate elections in 1st online voting in Los Angeles

Deputized election personnel tally the results of the Philippine midterm elections. Photo from PCG Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – The recently concluded Philippine midterm elections delivered both a political surprise and a sobering turnout among Filipino Americans in Los Angeles, where enthusiasm for the country’s democratic process was marred by technical hurdles and limited voter participation.
In an unexpected development, progressive independent candidates Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan secured the majority of votes in Los Angeles, signaling a potential transformation in the community’s political alignment.
Record low voter turnout
Despite the Philippine government’s rollout of its first-ever online voting system for overseas voters – an initiative aimed at modernizing and streamlining participation – only 3.27 percent of registered voters in Los Angeles cast their ballots.
Photo by Benny Uy
After the last ballot was cast in his jurisdiction, Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles Adelio Angelito Cruz told the Philippine Post’s Xenia Tupas: “Out of 34,557 registered voters, just 1,131 successfully voted, while an additional 296 signed up for online voting but did not complete the process.”
Yet amid the low turnout, the Senate results were unexpectedly revealing.
Progressive wave
Aquino and Pangilinan – both supported by opposition and progressive groups – led the Senate race, surpassing administration-backed contenders. Aquino received 616 votes (54.46%), followed closely by Pangilinan with 595 votes. Independent candidate and former audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza came in third with 502 votes.
“I’m relatively pleased with the election of senatorial candidates I endorsed and supported,” said Rocio Nuyda, a longtime community leader and retired executive in Los Angeles. “The candidates earned my vote based on their personal and political record.”
Photo by Benny Uy
Other top vote-getters included administration-aligned figures such as Bong Go (437 votes), Bato Dela Rosa (417), and Rodante Marcoleta (419). However, the strong performance of progressive candidates like Luke Espiritu (369) and Makabayan bloc members Teddy Casiño and France Castro highlighted a notable leftward shift among voters in the region.
In the party-list race, the Mamamayang Liberal Party List, led by former senator Leila de Lima as its first nominee, topped the results with 153 votes, followed by Akbayan with 134. Notably, Duterte Youth placed third with 133 votes – a tight margin that reflects the ideological divide among Filipino American voters.
The complete tally also showed modest support for groups such as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Kabataan, indicating a politically diverse electorate despite the small voting base.
Photo by Benny Uy
Observers noted that the progressive showing in the traditionally conservative-leaning Fil-Am community signals a rising political consciousness among overseas Filipinos residing in Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona – the three West Coast areas under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.
For Nuyda, the outcome offers a glimmer of hope in what she called a disillusioning political environment. “Corruption has become endemic, making it seem like an accepted norm. It is my hope that my vote is made good by the few whom I placed my confidence in,” she said. “That they serve the people and not self.”
Low voter turnout
The low voter turnout, however, raised concerns among community leaders and advocates about declining overseas engagement. Many Filipinos abroad appeared either unaware of the new system, disillusioned by the political status quo or discouraged by the online registration process.
Cruz acknowledged the outreach challenges despite active efforts: “We really tried to be present in the community and made sure people were aware of the online voting process,” he said, noting efforts through mobile consular missions and visibility at Filipino-centric events and businesses.
Amir Abad, a registered nurse in Los Angeles, said he didn’t vote because “most of the candidates were traditional politicians associated with corruption or were ‘nepo babies’ – scions or relatives of political dynasties.”
Having recently returned from a five-month vacation in the Philippines, Abad expressed frustration with what he perceives as the public’s apathy: “Sad to say, politics is a popularity contest for most Filipinos back home, and they don’t really care about the candidates’ platforms. Politicians know this, so they cater to that mindset.”
Romeo Almeda, a retired businessman, and his wife Carol, a longtime community organizer in Long Beach, shared similar concerns. They cited issues like “corruption, human rights, the environment, and foreign policy” as reasons for their disengagement from Philippine elections.
“Legislators and other government officials seem to care only for their own selfish interests,” they remarked.
Still, the Almedas emphasized their ongoing connection to the homeland through advocacy work in areas such as human rights, education and the environment.
Nuyda, while admitting she didn’t follow every aspect of the elections, stayed informed through personal networks. “I did not generally follow the Philippine elections as I do with US elections, except for the senatorial update. I stayed informed through communication with my Filipino election connections,” she explained.
She also reflected on the difference in political awareness between Filipino Americans and voters in the Philippines: “As Filipino Americans, we are more ‘woke’ to the issues of the times. There’s a keener awareness, possibly because of easier access to public information and media. That may not be the case in the Philippines, where voting decisions may be shaped more by word-of-mouth or dynastic loyalty.”
Nuyda remains committed to political engagement: “I intend to stay ‘woke’ in the preservation of voting rights. I feel it’s a moral obligation to remain connected and to use my influence in shaping election values and candidate selection.”
She added, poignantly: “They say you can take a Filipino out of the Philippines, but you can never take the Philippines out of a Filipino’s heart. That encompasses my entire stance on being invested.”
With hopes for a stronger system and a more engaged electorate in future election cycles, officials like Cruz remain cautiously optimistic: “In 2022, during the presidential election, we had a 51 percent voter turnout from 17,500 registered voters. We’re hopeful that by the next presidential election – with improved systems and greater awareness – we can engage more Filipinos abroad.”
Top 20 candidates for senators as released by the Philippine Consul General – Los Angeles:
Aquino, Bam (KNP), 616; Pangilinan, Kiko (LP), 595; Mendoza, Heidi (Ind), 502; Go, Bong Go (PDP Laban), 437; Marcoleta, Rodante (Ind), 419; Dela Rosa, Bato (PDP Laban), 417; Espiritu, Luke (PLM), 369; Lacson, Ping (Ind), 345; Bondoc, Jimmy (PDP Laban), 338; Rodriguez, Atty. Vic (Ind), 334;
Casino, Teddy (Makabayan), 322; Castro, Teacher France (Makabayan), 306; Lambino, Raul (PDP Laban), 301; Hinlo, Jayvee (PDP Laban), 298; Brosas, Arlene (Makabayan), 268; Quiboloy, Apollo (Ind), 262; Mata, Doc Marites (Ind), 258; Salvador, Phillip Ipe (PDP Laban), 252; De Guzman, Ka Leody (PLM), 248; Abalos, Benhur (PFP), 243.
In the party-list elections, the Mamamayang Liberal Party List topped the race with Akbayan with 153 votes and 134 votes, respectively. ML party list first nominee is former Senator Leila de Lima.
Final tally of the top 21 for party list groups:
Mamamayang Liberal, 153; Akbayan, 134; Duterte Youth, 133; Epanaw Sambayanan, 104; BH-Bagong Henerasyon, 94; Bayan Muna, 33; Gabriela, 29; Bunyog, 24; United Senior Citizens, 21; CIBAC, 21;
OFW, 20; Kabataan, 17; ACT-Teachers, 17; ACT-CIS, 15; PBBM, 14; Senior Citizens, 12; Uswag Ilonggo, 12; PPP, 10; Gabay, 10; Magdalo, 9; SAGIP, 9.