BACOLOD CITY — Former Senator Kiko Pangilinan soldiers on to return to the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections.

The Liberal Party (LP) announced on Friday Pangilinan’s senate candidacy during its National Executive Council Meeting at Club Filipino in San Juan City. The LP unanimously approved NECO Resolution 2024-001, nominating Pangilinan, the party’s chairman, as its senatorial candidate in the midterm polls.

“Ang sundalo na may sinumpaang tungkulin, hindi aatras kung kinakailangang ipaglaban ang mga minimithi,” said Pangilinan, who accepted the nomination.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo, aking minamahal na kapartido, sa pagnomina niyo sa akin bilang kandidato ng partido para pagka-senador sa May 2025 elections,” added Pangilinan, who worked as food security czar from June 2014 to September 2015 during the administration of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Meanwhile, former Sen. Leila De Lima also accepted the nomination as the lead nominee of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list, the sectoral wing of the Liberal Party. Her co-nominees are former congressmen Teddy Baguilat  and Erin Tañada.

Leni Gerona Robredo confirmed her plan to run for mayor of Naga City in Camarines Sur to continue on the legacy of good local governance of her husband Jesse Robredo.

During his tenure, Pangilinan successfully reduced rice prices and lowered rice inflation from 15 percent to 0.8 percent in just one year.

In his acceptance speech, Pangilinan declared that the LP remains strong as ever despite experiencing various challenges, especially in the last six years under the Duterte administration.

“Naranasan natin ang pag-alipusta, pang-iisulto at pananakot ng nakaraang administrasyon ngunit naririto pa rin tayo. Hindi tayo nagpatinag, hindi tayo magpapatinag,” he stressed.

The former Senator emphasized that the LP would

remain as a force to contend with for long as poverty, corruption, economic backwardness, abuses in government continue to plague the country.

Pangilinan also pledged to champion the aspirations of Filipinos, including affordable goods and food, bountiful harvests and catches for farmers and fishermen, a living wage, and an improved quality of life.

“We will make things right and we will do it with all our might because we love our children and we love our country,” he said. (by BenCyrus G. Ellorin with PR)