Abby Binay, Camille Villar file candidacy for senator

Makati Mayor Abby Binay and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar on Friday filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for senator for the 2025 midterm elections.

Binay said her advocacies include public health, amendments to the Local Government Code, and access of local governments to climate action funding.

“I-amend ang Local Government Code dahil marami nang outdated doon (To amend the Local Government Code since it is outdated and) to ensure that even at the barangay level there’s a sense of accountability and good governance.

“To help local governments to have access to funding for their climate actions. Isa yan sa aking adbokasiya habang tayo ay mayor. We have to be more resilient. Hindi mawawala ang bagyo at disaster yet we always seem to be caught flat-footed in terms of disaster preparedness,” she added.

(To help local governments to have access to funding for their climate actions. That is one of my advocacies while I am mayor. We have to be more resilient. We will always experience storms and disasters yet we always seem to be caught flat-footed in terms of disaster preparedness.)

Binay, daughter of former Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay Sr., won as Makati mayor in 2016 and was reelected in 2019 and 2022.

The Constitution allows a mayor to have three consecutive terms only.

She took an oath as member of the Nationalist People's Coalition last May.

Her sister, Nancy, filed her COC for Makati mayor on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, Villar said if she secures a seat in the Senate, she will work on creating jobs and help those who plan to start their businesses.

“Ito po ang ilan sa adbokasiya na malapit sa aking puso. Una, makabagong kabuhayan hindi lamang makapagbigay ng trabaho na siyang napaka-importante sa buhay ng ating mga kababayan kundi trabahong progresibo na makakaangat sa pamumuhay,” Villar said.

(Here are some of the advocacies close to my heart. First, an innovative livelihood not only providing job, which is really important to our countrymen, but also a progressive one that can elevate their lives.)

She added that if she becomes a senator she will also support the education sector and help new graduates find a job.

Her father, former Senate president Manny Villar, and her brother, Senator Mark Villar, were present during Camille’s COC filing. 

Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar formalizes bid for senator in #Eleksyon2025.

Villar, describing herself as a "millenial", says she can offer "new politics" should she win a Senate seat. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/PvOkKW1MFD

— Sundy Locus ???????? (@sundylocus_) October 4, 2024

A member of the Nacionalista Party, Villar said she is open to campaigning with Senator Imee Marcos and Senator Pia Cayetano.

“Of course when we go around, we always support each other. Senator Imee is a member of the Nacionalista Party and maaari kami magsama kapag umiikot. I don't think there is a problem,” Villar said in another interview with the media.

“May plano tayo umikot kasama ang Alyansa (ng Makabagong Pilipino Party-list) at syempre mga miyembro ng ating partido (We have a plan to campaign with Alyansa and members of our party),”she added.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/AOL, GMA Integrated News