Former Senator Bam Aquino officially declared his bid for a Senate comeback by filing his certificate of candidacy on October 7. Aquino, a cousin of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, is running under the Katipunan ng Mga Nagkakaisang Pilipino, a party he now chairs after leaving the Liberal Party in May.
Aquino lost his reelection bid in 2019 during the Duterte administration, running as part of the opposition. Despite his party switch, he remains aligned with opposition figures like Kiko Pangilinan and Chel Diokno.
Aquino, who served in the Senate from 2013 to 2019, is known for his work on education and entrepreneurship. His legislative accomplishments include the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which grants free tuition in state universities, and the Go Negosyo Act, promoting small and medium enterprises.
If successful, Aquino will bring back a storied political name to the Senate, with ties to his uncle, the martyred Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, and his aunt, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.
