The recently concluded National and Local Elections stunned many political observers, analysts, and supporters alike. Amid all the noise, bluster, and political maneuvers, two names quietly rose to the top 12 senatorial seats: Bam Aquino of Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino and Kiko Pangilinan of the Liberal Party. Their victories were not predicted in major surveys nor loudly trumpeted during the campaign period. In fact, to many, they were invisible.
Yet, here they are—back in power, riding on what many now recognize as a “silent wave.”
For the longest time, the so-called “Pinklawans”—a term attached to supporters of the Aquino-Robredo bloc—were dismissed as politically dormant. After their loss in 2022, they receded from the limelight, their rallies stopped, and their critics believed they had been decisively silenced. But as the results show, silence does not mean absence.
Bam Aquino’s return is particularly symbolic. The Aquino name has long stood as a historical counterforce to the Marcos legacy. That he topped the Senate race, despite being largely absent from dominant campaign narratives and surveys, is a direct sting to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who has made it no secret that he despises the Aquinos. Kiko Pangilinan, too, brings with him not just a personal comeback but a renewed lease on life for the Liberal Party—long vilified and branded as irrelevant.
So what happened?
It helps to look at the bigger picture. During the campaign, the alliance between Marcos and the Duterte family—once a political powerhouse—was visibly fraying. The cracks widened over time: from Duterte Sr.’s veiled criticisms, to the impeachment move against Vice President Sara Duterte, down to the political sidelining of other Duterte allies. The once loyal “Uniteam” fractured, and the Duterte base, still formidable and fiercely loyal, began to retaliate—quietly, then decisively.
With their anger now directed at Marcos and his allies, many in the Duterte camp chose not to support his senatorial lineup. Only four of Marcos’s endorsed candidates made it to the top 12—a far cry from the expected sweep. Senator Imee Marcos distanced herself early, and Camille Villar, though part of the Marcos coalition, was seen as leaning closer to the Duterte side. In their focus on neutralizing the Dutertes, the Marcos-Romualdez coalition failed to anticipate the return of another old rival: the Aquinos and their allies.
The silent voters—those disillusioned with Marcos, but unwilling to return fully to the Duterte fold—found an unlikely refuge in familiar names with quieter reputations. Aquino and Pangilinan may not have commanded the loudest headlines, but they represented an alternative to the chaos. Their presence on the ballot became a vessel for protest and restoration, all rolled into one.
It was, in many ways, a masterclass in underestimation. The Marcos camp, preoccupied with settling political scores with the Dutertes, took their eyes off the peripheries. In doing so, they ignored a quiet but growing desire among voters for balance—some form of institutional check and contrast.
This election has proven two things. First, that in Philippine politics, the silent can still be deadly. And second, that old names never truly disappear—they simply wait for the right moment.