Election Profile

Personal Information

• Age and date of birth: 47 (May 7, 1977)
• Party: Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (Chairman)
• Highest Educational Attainment: Harvard University Executive Education Program on Public Policy and Leadership (December 2008)
• Highest Government Position Held: Senator

Summary

Stance on Key Issues

On Poverty, Controlling Inflation, and Jobs

• Vows to go after cartels in the importation sector and eliminate red tape in ports to lower goods prices.
• Plans to amend the Rice Tariffication Law to reduce market prices while protecting local farmers' income and production.
• Pushes for increasing the education budget to fix curriculum gaps, enhance technology and infrastructure, and reform K-12 to make graduates more employable.

On Fighting Graft and Corruption

• Supports banning offshore gaming operations, calling them a national security threat.
• Pushes for a clearer anti-corruption strategy in government.
• Advocates refiling the anti-political dynasty bill, arguing that concentrated power in few families is undemocratic.

On the West Philippine Sea

• Supports the administration’s policies on the West Philippine Sea, including the "assertive transparency initiative", which publicizes China’s aggressive acts.
• Opposes over-reliance on the U.S., advocating for a balanced foreign policy while maximizing long-time alliances for defense procurement.

On The Drug War

• Holds Duterte’s administration accountable for extrajudicial killings during the drug war.
• Agrees that Duterte should face charges in the ICC but believes he should be tried in Philippine courts first.

On Disaster Preparedness

• Calls for stronger disaster preparedness, not just for typhoons and floods but also extreme heat, citing climate change as a health crisis.
• Pushes for climate change laws that also cover disaster rehabilitation for rebuilding homes and infrastructure.

Government Experience / Field of Expertise

• Senator (2013 - 2019)
  • Chaired committees on:
    • Science and technology
    • Education, culture, and arts
    • Trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship
    • Youth affairs
  • Principal sponsor and co-author of RA 10931 (Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act)
    • Institutionalized free tuition in state and local universities.
  • Authored RA 10644 (Go Negosyo Act)
    • Promoted ease of doing business for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through Negosyo Centers nationwide.
  • Filed an anti-political dynasty bill in 2018, which stalled in second reading.
• Chairman & CEO - National Youth Commission (2003 - 2006)
• Commissioner-at-Large - National Youth Commission (2001 - 2003)

Issues and Controversies

• Faced multiple legal complaints (2019):
  • Charged with sedition, cyber libel, libel, and obstruction of justice for a video series linking Rodrigo Duterte to illegal drug trade.
  • Cleared of all charges in 2020.
• Allegedly linked to Maute Group’s 2017 Marawi terrorist attacks
  • Claim was made by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, but he later retracted his allegations.

Family Members in Government

Paul Aquino (Father)

• President & CEO, Energy Development Corporation (2004 - 2010)

Serviliano “Mianong” Aquino (Great-Grandfather)

• Delegate for Samar, Malolos Congress (1898 - 1899)

Benigno Aquino Sr. (Grandfather)

• Representative - Tarlac, second district (1919 - 1928; 1945 - 1946)
• Speaker - National Assembly, Tarlac-at-large (1943 - 1944)
• Commissioner of the Interior - Philippine Executive Commission (1942)

Agapito “Butz” Aquino (Uncle)

• Representative - Makati City, second district (1998 - 2007)
• Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives (2000 - 2001)
• Senator (1987 - 1995)

Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. (Uncle)

• Senator (1967 - 1972)
• Governor - Tarlac (1961 - 1967)
• Vice Governor - Tarlac (1959 - 1961)
• Mayor - Concepcion, Tarlac (1955 - 1959)
• Presidential Adviser on Defense Affairs (1949 - 1954)

Jesli Aquino Lapus (Uncle)

• Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry (March - June 2010)
• Secretary, Department of Education (2006 - 2010)
• Representative - Tarlac, third district (1998 - 2008)
• Undersecretary - Department of Agrarian Reform (1987 - 1989)

Additional Relatives in Government

Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco-Aquino (Aunt)

• President of the Philippines (1986 - 1992)

Maria Teresa “Tessie” Aquino-Oreta (Aunt)

• Senator (1998 - 2004)
• Representative - Malabon-Navotas, lone district (1987 - 1998)

Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III (Cousin)

• President of the Philippines (2010 - 2016)
• Senator (2007 - 2010)
• Representative - Tarlac, second district (1998 - 2007)
• Deputy Speaker - House of Representatives (2004 - 2006)

Herminio Aquino (Great-Uncle)

• Vice Governor - Tarlac (1998 - 2001)
• Representative - Tarlac, third district (1987 - 1998)
• Minister - Ministry of Human Settlements (1986 - 1987)

Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III (Cousin)

• Mayor - Malabon City (2012 - 2022)
• Vice Mayor - Malabon City (2010 - 2012)
• Councilor - Malabon City (2007 - 2010)

Jose Lorenzo “Enzo” Oreta (Cousin)

• Councilor - Malabon City (2016 - 2022)