Liberal Party Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| President | Erin Tañada (Acting)[a] |
| Chairman | Francis Pangilinan |
| Spokesperson | Leila M. de Lima |
| Secretary-General | Teodoro Baguilat, Jr. |
| Founded | January 19, 1946; 79 years ago (1946-01-19) |
| Split from | Nacionalista |
| Headquarters | AGS Building,EDSA, Guadalupe Viejo,Makati City,NCR |
| Think tank | Center for Liberalism and Democracy[1] |
| Youth wing | Liberal Youth[2] |
| Sectoral organization | Mamamayang Liberal |
| Membership(February 2025) | 20,000[3] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | |
| National affiliation | KiBam (2025) Former:
|
| Regional affiliation | Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| Colors | Blue Red Yellow Buff (customary) |
| Slogan | Bago. Bukas. Liberal. (since 2020)[10] |
| Senate | 1 / 24 |
| House of Representatives | 6 / 317 |
| Provincial governors | 2 / 82 |
| Provincial vice governors | 1 / 82 |
| Provincial board members | 14 / 840 |
| Website | |
| liberal | |
TheLiberal Party of the Philippines (Filipino:Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas,LP orLiberal) is aliberalpolitical party in thePhilippines.[11]
Founded on January 19, 1946 byManuel Roxas,Elpidio Quirino, andJosé Avelino from the breakaway liberal wing of the oldNacionalista, the Liberal remains the second-oldest active political party in the Philippines after the Nacionalista, and the oldest continually active party. The Liberals served as the governing party of four Philippine presidents:Manuel Roxas,Elpidio Quirino,Diosdado Macapagal, andBenigno Aquino III.
As a vocal opposition party to thedictatorship of their former memberFerdinand Marcos, it reemerged as a major political party after thePeople Power Revolution and the establishment of theFifth Republic. It subsequently served as a senior member of PresidentCorazon Aquino'sUNIDO coalition. UponCorazon Aquino's death in 2009, the party regained popularity, winning the2010 Philippine presidential election underBenigno Aquino III and returning it to government to serve from 2010 to 2016. This was the only instance the party had won the presidency since the end of the Marcos dictatorship, however, as it lost control of the office toRodrigo Duterte ofPDP–Laban in the2016 presidential election and became the leading opposition party once again. Its vice presidential candidateLeni Robredo won in the same election, narrowly beating Marcos' son by a small margin.[12]
The Liberal Party was the political party of the immediate pastVice President of the Philippines. In the2019 midterm elections, the party remained the primary opposition party of the Philippines, holding three seats in theSenate. The Liberals was the largest party outside ofRodrigo Duterte's supermajority, holding 18 seats in theHouse of Representatives after 2019. In local government, the party held twoprovincial governorships and five vice governorships. The general election of 2022, however, was a setback for the party, which lost both the Presidency and Vice-Presidency, as well as all of its seats in the Senate, and saw its representation in the House of Representatives reduced.
The Liberals remains an influential organization incontemporary Philippine politics. With moderately progressive positions on social issues and centrist positions on economic issues, it is commonly associated with the post-revolution,liberal-democratic status quo of the Philippines in contrast toauthoritarianism,conservatism, andsocialism. Aside from presidents, the party has been led by liberal thinkers and politicians includingBenigno Aquino Jr.,Jovito Salonga,Raul Daza,Florencio Abad,Franklin Drilon, andMar Roxas. Two of its members, Corazon Aquino andLeila de Lima, have received the prestigiousPrize For Freedom, one of the highest international awards for liberal and democratic politicians since 1985 given by Liberal International. The Liberals is a member of theCouncil of Asian Liberals and Democrats andLiberal International.
The Liberal Party started as the "Liberal Wing" of theNacionalista Party,[13] led byManuel Roxas andElpidio Quirino. The Liberal Wing is formed due to intention of Roxas to run as presidentfor the presidential election which he, and his supporters called and lobbied to theUnited States Congress to be early.[14] When PresidentSergio Osmeña was officially selected as Nacionalista presidential nominee, Roxas and Quirino officially founded the "Liberal Wing" into Liberal Party in January 19, 1946.[15] Roxas and Quirino where the party's presidential and vice presidential nominee respectively, and became victorious over the administration ticket of Osmeña andAmang Rodriguez.[16] After their presidential election performance, they dominated theHouse elections won the majority of 49 seats, and thesenate race in 1947 winning six over eight seats.
After the death of President Roxas in April 15, 1948 atClark Air Base, Pampanga, due to multiple heart attacks, Elpidio Quirino assumed the presidency.
Riding on the crest of the growing wave of resentment against Liberal, a move was next hatched to indict President Quirino himself.[17]
A committee of seven members of the House of Representatives, led by Congressman Agripino Escareal, drafted a five-count complaint that ranged from exorbitant spending tonepotism. A seven-member committee led by RepresentativeLorenzo Sumulong was created by SpeakerEugenio Pérez to investigate the charges before they were submitted to the Senate, serving as an impeachment body. Felix Angelo Bautista, theSolicitor General, arrived as the top executive's defense attorney.[17] Following several hearings, on April 19, 1949, after a rather turbulent session that lasted all night, the congressional committee reached a verdict completely exonerating the President.
For the1949 elections, Quirino got the nomination of the party, whileJose Avelino, the senate leader of the party ran under his own wing of the party. Quirino chooseFernando Lopez as vice presidential nominee while Avelino selected SenatorVicente Francisco. Qurino and Lopez won the election over Nacionalista's Jose P. Laurel (who is the president of theJapanese puppet-Republic) andManuel Briones, and Avelino and Francisco. But the said election is considered as one of the dirtiest,[18][19] with violence and fraud taking place.[20] As the news reports said that opponent's supporters are either beaten up by Quirino's supporters or the local police.[21] In the Senate, they swept out the whole 8 member ticket, while still maintaining majority at the House.
For the1953 elections, Liberal stalwart namedRamon Magsaysay, who has been recruited by founding member Roxas to fulfill the party with fresh names, wants to snap the presidential nomination of the party. But Quirino has still plans for re-election. Another Liberal also wants to challenge Quirino as the presidential nominee, thecountry's representative to the United NationsCarlos P. Romulo. Quirino officially selected by the party, withJosé Yulo as his running-mate, because Lopez will join Romulo and his supporter's walk-out march out of the party. Magsaysay jumped to Nacionalista and got the party's nomination over one of its stalwarts Senate PresidentCamilo Osías (who also jumped to Liberal withJose Zulueta), in April 12, 1953.[22] Romulo and Lopez founded theDemocratic Party[23] in May 29, 1953,[24] with the two founders selected as their presidential and vice presidential nominee.[25] But later, the two cancelled their candidacy and supported Magsaysay's candidacy.[26][27]
Quirino's campaign was bombarded by controversies and issues, like with one of party's member namedNegros Occidental Governor Rafael Lacson, a corrupt politician who killed Moises Padilla, his challenger in 1951 elections, and friend of Magsaysay which popularized by a photograph taken with Magsaysay carrying Padilla's dead body, and also being used by the latter in his campaign.[28][29] Another issues like he allegedly own agolden arinola, corruption and nepotism, being out of touch to the mass due to his lavish lifestyle, and unresolving the Huk rebellion. Magsaysay and his running mateCarlos Garcia won the election via landslide.[30] In thesenate, the whole Liberal slate was kicked out in the Magic 8, thus not winning any seats, while in theHouse they only won 31 seats.[31] In1955 Senate elections, no Liberal again won any seat in the Senate.
After thedeath of Magsaysay, and succession of Garcia, Liberal fielded their former 1953 Vice Presidential nominee José Yulo, with Kapampangan1st district CongressmanDiosdado Macapagal as his running mate for the1957 presidential elections. In a four-way race, Yulo lost to incumbent Garcia, but Macapagal managed to defeat former House SpeakerPepito Laurel. For the first time in electoral history of the Philippines, the winning president did not have a vice president who came from the same party.
For the1961 elections,[32] Ilocano SenatorFerdinand Marcos wants to gain the nomination of the party to challenge Garcia's re-election bid, but Vice President Macapagal also wants to be the nominee of the party. Later, In January 1961, Marcos and Macapagal agreed that the latter will be the presidential nominee, while Marcos will be the new party president replacing Macapagal.[33] Macapagal promised that he will only run for one term, and Marcos will be the nominee in after his term.[34] Macapagal will challenge Garcia, choosing young SenatorEmmanuel Pelaez. The two managed to defeat the administration ticket of Garcia and SenatorGil Puyat.[35]
In 1962, abribery scandal shocked the whole country which involves some of Liberal politicians, including President Macapagal,[36] and then-Senate President Marcos.[37][38] Those bribed money are from a businessman named Harry Stonehill,[39] a former military officer of the United States who settled in the Philippines to make business.[40] But, after an argument with Meinhart Spielman, the general manager of his Philippine Tobacco Corporation, he made Spielman suffered physically and the latter revealed to the Senate a "blue book" that listed all of the Filipino politicians bribed.[41] But while Justice SecretaryJose "Pepe" Diokno investigated the scandal,[42] Macapagal ordered the deportation of Stonehill, but the president's trust rating still plummeting.[43] Diokno later run for senate under Nacionalista banner.
After Diosdado Macapagal's announcement of plan for re-election in1965, Marcos, like what Magsaysay did, jumped into Nacionalista by April 1964, and selected as its presidential nominee.[44] Meanwhile, Macapagal selectedGerardo Roxas, son of the founder to be his running-mate. The campaign of Macapagal and Roxas focused against Marcos'false military medals. The two failed to defeat Marcos, and his running mate Fernando Lopez, who is the Vice President under Quirino, and also a former Liberal.[45]
In1967 elections, the only one from the Liberal slate was elected from the 8 senate seats contested isNinoy Aquino, a former Nacionalista who is known for being an associate of Ramon Magsaysay. Aquino managed to gather 49.52% of the votes.
For the1969 elections, Liberal will fieldSerging Osmeña, son of the Nacionalista founderSergio Osmeña as their presidential nominee. Osmeña ran for vice presidency in 1961 as an independent and placed second. The party also recruited Magsaysay's brotherGenaro to be his running-mate. Both of them lost to the incumbents, but the election year was considered as one of the dirtiest elections in history, like 1949.[46]
After what happened toPlaza Miranda bombing,[47] Liberal won five seats. In Manila mayoral election, the party chose CongressmanRamon Bagatsing instead of incumbentAntonio Villegas. Villegas left the party, and Bagatsing won the mayoral election.
During thedays leading to his declaration of martial law, Marcos would find his old party as a potent roadblock to his quest forone-man rule. Led byNinoy Aquino,Gerry Roxas andJovito Salonga, Liberal would hound President Marcos on issues likehuman rights and the curtailment offreedoms. Even after Marcos'declaration of martial law silenced the Liberal, the party continued to oppose the regime, and many of its leaders and members would be prosecuted and even killed during this time.[4][48]
For the incoming1978 parliamentary elections, some Liberal members joined theKilusang Bagong Lipunan, a regime-controlled coalition, while others joined Ninoy Aquino'sLakas ng Bayan (LABAN). With many preferring not to be involved, theLiberal went to hibernation, but the party became more liberal during this era.[49]
After Marcos lifted Martial Law withProclamation 2045, on January 17, 1981,[50] Liberal joinedUnited Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), the main coalition of the opposition. But UNIDO and LABAN declared a boycott due to Marcos did not accept the demand of UNIDO like to clean the voters' list, revamping of theCommission on Elections (COMELEC), and accreditation of UNIDO as the minority. This caused for Marcos to be reportedly dismayed as he could not legitimize the election without a viable opposition candidate.[51]
Liberal stalwarts joined UNIDO with Nacionalista, and PDP–Laban members, they supported the candidacy ofCory Aquino andDoy Laurel for the1986 election.[52][53] In the said election, violence was rampant and cheating scandals and controversies arose,[54][55] with COMELEC officers walked out of the PICC, the place where COMELEC transmission of data happens.[56] The election victory of Marcos promptedPeople Power Revolution in February 25 of the same year.[57]
After democracy was restored after thePeople Power Revolution, some of the Liberal stalwarts was instrumental in ending more than half a century of US military presence in the Philippines with its campaign in the 1991 senate to reject a new RP-US Bases Treaty which mainly led by their veteranJovito Salonga. This ironically cost the party dearly, losing for it theelections of 1992.[48]
Liberal and the PDP–Laban formed a coalition namedKoalisyong Pambansa, it also supported the candidacy of Salonga, as president andNene Pimentel as vice president for the 1992. But both of them lost to Aquino's preferred candidate and Defense SecretaryFidel Ramos, and SenatorJoseph Estrada.[58]
Liberal won 5 seats in theHouse elections, but the party did not have any senatorial candidate.
In1998, Liberal fielded Manila MayorAlfredo Lim as their presidential candidate, withSerge Osmeña as his running mate. Serge Osmeña is the son of the party's former presidential nominee. The two is supported by former president Corazon Aquino.[59][60] But the tandem lost to Vice President Joseph Estrada and Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, daughter of their 1961 presidential nominee respectively.[61]
In 2000, it was in opposition to theEstrada administration, actively supporting the Resign-Impeach-Oust initiatives that led toPeople Power II.[4][48]
After Estrada being kicked out of the Presidency, Liberal joined the administration'sPeople Power Coalition for the2001 elections, with former Quezon City councilorKiko Pangilinan and former SenatorBobby Tañada as the party's senatorial candidate. Among the two, Pangilinan only managed to win, placing 8th with 10,971,896 votes.
For the2004 elections, Liberal joined theK-4 coalition of President Arroyo, with former Congressman and Gerry Roxas' sonMar and SenatorRodolfo Biazon are the candidates of the Liberal. Both of them won, with Roxas placed 2nd,[62] while Biazon placed 12th.[63] Biazon's victory was protested by 13th placer SenatorRobert Barbers (who is also a K-4 member), but the case filed by Barbers later dismissed.[64]
After therevelation that Arroyo cheated in the presidential elections, many Liberal members who are part of the cabinet of Arroyoresigned in 2005, thus joining the opposition, including party stalwartButch Abad.[65] For the2007 elections, Liberal fielded a candidate, the son of Ninoy and Cory, Tarlac CongressmanNoynoy Aquino. Kiko Pangilinan also ran for re-election in senate, but as an independent and still under Liberal,[66]after being kicked out byGenuine Opposition (GO), which Aquino is a member.[67] Aquino managed to win the senate elections, placing 6th and Pangilinan placed 5th.
Some Liberal members installedManila MayorLito Atienza as the party president wayback March 2, 1998, even though that time former Congressman and then-Senate candidateRaul Daza is officially serving as the party president. What pro-Atienza wing did triggered leadership struggle and party schism lasted after Daza's leadership.
Liberal met on November 27, 2007, to decide who would succeedFranklin Drilon as the party president and to hold an election for his replacement. Both Noynoy Aquino and his Senate colleague Mar Roxas received nominations, but Aquino emerged victorious as the party's president, while Roxas is set to be the presidential nominee.[68] The former chairman and head of the "Atienza faction" or "Pro-Arroyo faction," DENR secretary Lito Atienza, congratulated him, but he later condemned the election and referred to Drilon and his supporters as a "merry cabal of destabilizers". He added that the other group had disregarded the Supreme Court's injunction to maintain the status quo.[68] Later, Supreme Court recognized the Drilon Wing as the sole legitimate wing of the Liberal.
Liberal regained influence when it nominated as its next presidential candidate then-Senator Benigno Aquino III,[48] the son of former PresidentCorazon Aquino, for the2010 Philippine presidential election after thelatter's death that subsequently showed a groundswell of support for his candidacy.[69] Even though the party had earlier nominated Mar Roxas to be its presidential candidate for the2010 Philippine general election, Roxas gave way to Aquino and instead ran for vice president. The party was able to field new members breaking away from the then-ruling partyLakas–Kampi–CMD, becoming the largest minority party in Congress.[4][48][70] Aquino would later win by plurality, and Liberal would become the majority party in Congress.[71]
But, some incidents like the appointment of party presidentJun Abaya and mismanagement of theDepartment of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) cost the party's next presidential elections.[72]
On October 1, 2015, during an oath-taking event and birthday celebration of Liberal CongressmanBenjamin Agarao ofLaguna's 4th district,MMDA ChairmanFrancis Tolentino hired all-girl dance groupPlaygirls to perform at the said event. One of the dancers was seen on the top of an unidentified male who was lying on his back simulating a sexual act ortwerking, and the said event has minors in the audience.[73][74] Liberal leader Mar Roxas, who is absent at the said event, started an investigation about the incident, while labor groups and some women's rights advocates filed charges against Tolentino.[75] The said controversy was coined by columnist and critics as 'Twerk na Daan' (which was combination of the word "twerk" and "Tuwid na daan" campaign of Aquino).[76]
In the2016 presidential elections, the Liberal nominated Mar Roxas, formerDepartment of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) andDepartment of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, andLeni Robredo, a representative from Naga City and widow ofJesse Robredo, the DILG secretary who preceded Roxas, as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates. Roxas defeated by former memberRodrigo Duterte of PDP–Laban, but Robredo managed to win. Most of the party's members either switched allegiance toPDP–Laban,[77][78][79] joined a supermajority alliance but retained their Liberal membership (with some defecting later), joined the "recognized minority", or created an opposition bloc called "Magnificent 7".
After its loss in the 2016 elections, as early as February 2017, the leaders of the Liberal chose to focus on rebuilding the party by inviting sectoral representation of non-politicians in its membership numbers.[80] Since then the party had been inducting new members who were non-politicians, some of whom applied online through the party's website.[81][82][83] Also, SenatorLeila de Lima, who was pushing probe into alleged extrajudicial deaths in the early months ofDuterte's war on drugs, was arrested in 2017 based on charges linked to thedrug trafficking scandal inNew Bilibid Prison, which the party claimed as only a product of harassment and trumped-up charges against opposing the president.[84] Also, it prompted them to review its party rules and principles.[85][84][86][87][88]
Before the scheduled2019 general elections, the Liberal formedOtso Diretso, an electoral coalition of eight candidates for the senate race; led by the party, the coalition field also comprised members of the Magdalo, Akbayan, andAksyon.[89][90][91] None of the eight senatorial candidates under Otso Diretso won a seat, however; it was the first time in the history of the currentbicameral composition of thePhilippine Congress under the1987 Constitution that the opposition failed to win a seat in one of the chambers, and the second time that a Liberal-led coalition suffered a great loss since1955.
For the2022 Philippine presidential election, the Liberal nominated Leni Robredo andFrancis Pangilinan for the presidential and vice presidential posts, respectively.[92][93] The party led theTeam Robredo–Pangilinan (TRoPa) alliance, which included incumbent senator De Lima, other members of the Liberal, and several guest candidates from other parties such as Akbayan, as well as independents. Robredo ran as an independent candidate whilst remaining affiliated with Liberal. Both candidates lost the election toBongbong Marcos andSara Duterte, respectively, finishing second. While some candidates from the Liberal-led alliance were elected, no candidate from the party won a seat in the senatorial elections, for the first time since the 1995 elections.
In May 2024,Bam Aquino left Liberal to pursue the Senate race as an independent candidate, but later joined theKatipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) and became its party chair.[94] Also of the same year, several Liberals led by De Lima formed a sectoral wing calledMamamayang Liberal (ML) for the 2025 House of Representatives elections for party-list seats. De Lima, who was released from detainment in November 2023, was selected as ML's first nominee.[95] Former senator and vice presidential candidateKiko Pangilinan was the Liberal's sole candidate for the senatorial elections. Pangilinan and the Liberals formed a coalition with KNP to form acoalition duo with Bam Aquino for the2025 senate election.
The duo won the senate race and entered in the magic 12 as Aquino ranked 2nd and Pangilinan ranked 5th, resulting that they will returning in the upper house. Also the Mamamayang Liberal won the party-list race garnering with 500,000+ votes thus guaranteeing one seat in the House of Representatives. Even though de Lima joined minority in the House, Aquino and Pangilinan joined majority in the Senate.[96]
While the Liberal Party defines its ideology associal liberalism,[97] the party has often been described as a "centrist" or "liberal" party. Historically, the Liberal Party has been evaluated as a "conservative" party,[98][99] with an ideology similar to or indistinguishable from theNacionalista Party's ideology,[100][101] until it became the opposition party under theMarcos dictatorship, wherein it became more liberal.[102] Being a founding member of theCouncil of Asian Liberals and Democrats and a full member ofLiberal International, the Liberal Party advocates the values of "freedom,justice andsolidarity (bayanihan)," as described in the party's values charter.[103][104] Although this may be deemed theoretically true since the party's founding in 1946, it became more tangible through the party's position of continuing dissent during the Marcos dictatorship.
Since 2017, the party has opened party membership to the general public and tokey sectors of society, aiming to harness a largevolunteering base. According to the party, this aims to ostensibly build on "the promise of becoming a true people's party".
.svg)
The Liberal Party is associated with the coloryellow, apolitical color commonly associated withliberalism. During thePeople Power Revolution, opposition parties against the Marcos dictatorship, including the Liberal, usedyellow ribbons as a symbol of resistance and support forNinoy Aquino, one of the leading politicians against the regime. The color would later be co-opted by his son,Benigno Aquino III, as well as the Liberal, for hispresidential campaign in 2010, which he later won.
After his presidency, yellow continued to be associated with the party, which became the leading opposition party against the presidency of their former member Rodrigo Duterte. Thepejorative termdilawan (transl. yellowed ones), associated with the liberal elite, has been used against the party and other critics of the Duterte administration.[105] In an effort to distance herself from the negative connotations of the color and unite various opposition groups, then party chairLeni Robredo adopted the colorpink for herpresidential campaign.[106] Both pink and yellow are currently used by the party.[107][108]
The party has declared policies geared towardinclusiveness andpeople empowerment.[109][11] It also advocates and supports securejobs,food,shelter,universal health care,public education access, and othersocial services, and is againstextrajudicial killings, any challenge to therule of law, and curtailments ofhuman rights strictures. The party also aims to form anopen government withparticipatory democracy, positions that have been supported by the party's recent leaders.[110][111]
SenatorLeila de Lima, who led an investigation into alleged extrajudicial deaths in the early months ofDuterte's war on drugs, was issued an arrest warrant in 2017 based on charges linked to theNew Bilibid Prison drug trafficking scandal, which the party claimed was based on trumped-up charges, labelling the arrest "patently illegal".[84] While on the whole, de Lima's investigation was seen by some pundits as an adversarial investigation that was a strategic mistake, others in the party simply saw it as a call to a review of the party's principles and how members have adhered to them.[85][84][86][87][88]
Senator De Lima has been fully acquitted of all criminal charges on June 24, 2024,[134] marking the end of her legal battle and detention that lasted over six years. De Lima, a prominent critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, described the charges as politically motivated to silence her investigations into Duterte's controversial drug war and alleged human rights abuses.[135]
In 2019, the party, along with other groups, was accused of planning a coup against the Duterte government. The party denounced the allegation and called it a state-sponsored threat oflegal abuse, demanding the government provide evidence to back the claims.[136]
As of 2024, there have been a total of 4 Liberal presidents. Those who won presidency under other parties are not included.
| # | Name (lifespan) | Portrait | Province | Presidency start date | Presidency end date | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Manuel Roxas (1892–1948) |  | Capiz | May 28, 1946[b] | April 15, 1948[c] | 1 year, 323 days |
| 4 | Elpidio Quirino (1890–1956) |  | Ilocos Sur | April 17, 1948 | December 30, 1953 | 5 years, 257 days |
| 9 | Diosdado Macapagal (1910–1997) |  | Pampanga | December 30, 1961 | December 30, 1965 | 4 years, 0 days |
| 15 | Benigno Aquino III (1960–2021) | .jpg) | Tarlac | June 30, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | 6 years, 0 days |
| # | Name | Start of term | End of term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manuel Roxas[48] | January 19, 1946 | April 15, 1948 |
| 2 | José Avelino | April 19, 1948 | May 8, 1949 |
| 3 | Elpidio Quirino | April 17, 1949 | December 30, 1950 |
| 4 | Eugenio Pérez | December 30, 1950 | December 30, 1957 |
| 5 | Diosdado Macapagal | December 30, 1957 | January 21,1961 |
| 6 | Ferdinand E. Marcos[33][137] | January 21, 1961[34][44] | April 1964[44] |
| 7 | Cornelio T. Villareal | April 1964 | May 10, 1969 |
| 8 | Gerardo Roxas | May 10, 1969 | April 19, 1982 |
| 9 | Jovito Salonga | April 20, 1982 | June 1, 1993 |
| 10 | Wigberto Tañada | June 2, 1993 | October 17, 1994 |
| 11 | Raul A. Daza | October 18, 1994 | September 19, 1999 |
| 12 | Florencio Abad | September 20, 1999 | August 9, 2004 |
| 13 | Franklin Drilon | August 10, 2004 | November 5, 2007 |
| 14 | Mar Roxas | November 6, 2007 | September 30, 2012 |
| 15 | Joseph Emilio Abaya | October 1, 2012 | August 7, 2016 |
| 16 | Francis Pangilinan | August 8, 2016 | September 30, 2022 |
| 17 | Edcel Lagman | September 30, 2022 | January 30, 2025 |
| Act | Erin Tañada | January 30, 2025 |
| Name | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|
| Kiko Pangilinan | June 30, 2025 | Majority |
| Name | District | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krisel Lagman | Albay's 1st congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Edgar Erice | Caloocan's 2nd congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Kaka Bag-ao | Dinagat Islands's at-large congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Jaime Fresnedi | Muntinlupa's at-large congressional district | June 30, 2022 | Majority |
| Alfonso Umali Jr. | Oriental Mindoro's 2nd congressional district | June 30, 2019 | Majority |
| Ian Amatong | Zamboanga del Norte's 3rd congressional district | June 20, 2022 | Majority |
| Name | Partylist | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leila de Lima | Mamamayang Liberal (ML) | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Name | Province | Took office |
|---|---|---|
| Mujiv Hataman | Basilan | June 30, 2025 |
| Trina Firmalo-Fabic | Romblon | June 30, 2025 |
| Name | Province | Took office |
|---|---|---|
| Meg Constantino | Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro | June 30, 2025 |
| Tin Antonio | Alcala, Cagayan | June 30, 2025 |
| Nestor Archival | Cebu City | June 30, 2025 |
| Sonia Arnado | Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte | June 30, 2025 |
| Glicerio Almero, III | Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro | June 30, 2025 |
| Leni Robredo | Naga City, Camarines Sur | June 30, 2025 |
| Shimonette Francisco | New Washington, Aklan | June 30, 2025 |
| Celsa Rivera | Padre Garcia, Batangas | June 30, 2025 |
| Joe Abad Lazaro | San Joaquin, Iloilo | June 30, 2025 |
| Bartolome Rivera | San Mateo, Rizal | June 30, 2025 |
Senate is abolished from 1972 to 1986
| Senate election | Seats won | +/– | Result | President | Seats | +/– | Result | House election |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 10 / 24 | N/A | Minority | Manuel Roxas | 49 / 98 | N/A | Minority | 1946 |
| 1947 | 15 / 24 |  6 | Majority | |||||
| 1949 | 18 / 24 | 3 | Majority | Elpidio Quirino | 60 / 100 | 11 | Majority | 1949 |
| 1951 | 12 / 24 |  6 | Majority | |||||
| 1953 | 7 / 24 | 5 | Minority | Ramon Magsaysay | 31 / 102 | 35 | Minority | 1953 |
| 1955 | 0 / 24 | 4 | Lost | |||||
| 1957 | 2 / 24 | 2 | Minority | Carlos P. Garcia | 19 / 102 | 40 | Minority | 1957 |
| 1959 | 4 / 24 | 2 | Minority | |||||
| 1961 | 8 / 24 | 4 | Minority | Diosdado Macapagal | 29 / 104 | 10 | Minority | 1961 |
| 1963 | 10 / 24 | 2 | Majority | |||||
| 1965 | 12 / 24 |  | Minority | Ferdinand E. Marcos | 61 / 104 | 32 | Majority | 1965 |
| 1967 | 7 / 24 | 3 | Minority | |||||
| 1969 | 5 / 24 | 2 | Minority | 18 / 110 | 43 | Minority | 1969 | |
| 1971 | 8 / 24 | 3 | Minority |
| Year | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Members ran as part ofLABAN | ||||
| 1984 | Members ran as part ofUNIDO | ||||
| House election | House Seats | +/– | Result | Senate election | Senate Seats | +/– | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 4 / 200 | 4 | Majority | 1987 | Ran as part of LABAN Coalition | N/A | Majority |
| 1992 | 11 / 200 | 7 | Majority | 1992 | Ran as part of Koalisyong Pambansa | 3 | Majority |
| 1995 | 5 / 226 | 6 | Majority | 1995 | Not participating | | — |
| 1998 | 15 / 258 | 10 | Majority | 1998 | 0 / 12 | | Lost |
| 2001 | 19 / 256 | 3 | Majority | 2001 | 1 / 13 | 1 | Majority |
| 2004 | 29 / 261 | 10 | Majority | 2004 | 2 / 12 | 3 | Majority |
| 2007 | 23 / 270 | 6 | Majority | 2007 | 2 / 12 | | Split |
| 2010 | 47 / 286 | 14 | Majority | 2010 | 3 / 12 | | Majority |
| 2013 | 109 / 292 | 62 | Majority | 2013 | 1 / 12 | | Majority |
| 2016 | 115 / 297 | 6 | Split | 2016 | 5 / 12 | 2 | Split |
| 2019 | 18 / 304 | 97 | Minority | 2019 | 0 / 12 | 3 | Minority |
| 2022 | 10 / 316 | 8 | Split | 2022 | 0 / 12 | 3 | Lost |
| 2025 | 6 / 317 | 4 | Split | 2025 | 1 / 12 | 1 | Majority |
The only hope for a return to the glory days of the fight for freedom is current Vice President Leni Robredo, a liberal, whose campaign theme of "radical love" to undo Duterte's toxicity is gathering momentum.
... The investment parity provision aroused much Filipino opposition and was only accepted because of a narrow electoral victory in April 1946 by the conservative pro-American Liberal Party. Smear tactics and money power assisted this ...
... the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party, were the exclusive domain of the Philippine elite and exhibited similarly conservative orientations in ...
Mamamayang Liberal kicked off the filing of certificates of candidacy early Saturday by gathering supporters — who were asked to wear yellow or pink — at the Quirino Grandstand.
| Senate (24) |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives (318) |
| ||||
| Local government | |||||
| Out of government | |||||
| Non-participating parties | |||||
| Historical parties | |||||
| Historical alliances | |||||
Philippines articles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| History |
| ||||||
| Geography | |||||||
| Politics |
| ||||||
| Economy | |||||||
| Society |
| ||||||
Member parties of international liberal organisations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
