Local elections were held in Manila on May 12, 2025, as part of the 2025 Philippine general election. The electorate would elect a mayor, a vice mayor, 36 members of the Manila City Council, and six district representatives to the House of Representatives of the Philippines. The officials elected in the election will assume their respective offices on June 30, 2025, for a three-year-long term.
Isko Moreno and Chi Atienza were elected mayor on his non-consecutive second term and vice mayor on her first term respectively, defeating incumbents Honey Lacuna and Yul Servo.
Background
In the 2022 elections, Asenso Manileño attained a landslide victory, winning 34 of the 36 elective seats in the Manila City Council and all six Manila seats in the House of Representatives of the Philippines. Then-vice mayor Honey Lacuna and Representative Yul Servo were elected mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
The election is expected to be competitive after Isko Moreno, who served as mayor from 2019 to 2022, reportedly formed the Bagong Maynila party to contest the election with a full slate of candidates, despite a plea from the incumbent Mayor Lacuna (who was hran mate in the 2019 election and his endorsed candidate in the 2022 election) to "reconsider his plans". Moreno initially intended not to run for any position after losing in the 2022 presidential election.
In August 2024, members of the city council allied with Moreno filed an injunction against Vice Mayor Yul Servo, Majority Floor Leader Ernesto Isip Jr., Minority Floor Leader Philip Lacuna, and 19 other councilors for conducting a session on July 23, when the city government declared all work to be suspended in view of Typhoon Carina. The Moreno allies who filed the suit condemned the meeting as being "illegal and secret", noting that city council funds were transferred to the office of the mayor during the meeting. The accused belied the suit and said that the session was live streamed.
Electoral system Local elections in the Philippines are held in every second Monday of May, every three years starting in 1992. Single-seat positions (mayor, vice mayor and House representative) are elected via first-past-the-post-voting. The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the city at-large, while the House representative and city councilors are elected per district.
City council elections are done via plurality block voting; for the Manila City Council, the city is divided into six districts, with each district sending six councilors. There are two other ex officio seats, from the municipal presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan; these will be determined later in the year at the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Voters in Manila shall also elect senators and party-list representatives on this day.
Campaign
The campaign period for local elections began on March 28, 2025, and ended on May 10.
Campaign issues Garbage collection contract Reports stated that City Government of Manila did not pay its waste management firm Leonel Waste Management Corporation (Leonel) for its first 4 months of service in 2024 of . Incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna dismissed the allegation that her administration did not pay, and not a debt.
Issues Campaign conduct In April 2025, third district councilor candidate Mocha Uson was criticized over her campaign jingle featuring the double-meaning lyric "Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap" (), which was deemed sexually suggestive and objectifying. The COMELEC warned her, expressing concern that such content could detract from serious policy discussions and urged her to adopt a more appropriate campaign approach. She later asked her campaign team to drop the jingle.
Vote buying On April 24, 2025, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Kontra Bigay committee issued show-cause orders to mayoral candidates Isko Moreno and Sam Verzosa over alleged vote buying activities surrounding their campaign. A day later, it also issued show-cause order against incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna also for alleged vote buying, as well as alleged abuse of state resources, surrounding her re-election campaign.
Endorsements On March 28, 2025, during the Asenso Manileño proclamation rally in Sampaloc, Manila, singer and actress Angeline Quinto endorsed Honey Lacuna and voiced her concerns for Manileños. While, on April 5, 2025, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) also expressed its support for Lacuna's re-election.
On April 24, 2025, Isko Moreno and other candidates on his ticket were endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte while campaigning in eastern Tondo, which is encompassed by the 2nd district.
Tickets
Honey-Yul (Asenso Manileño/Lakas–CMD/ML)
+Honey-Yul (Asenso Manileño/Lakas–CMD)Position# Name PartyMayor5.Honey LacunaVice mayor3.Yul ServoRepresentative(1st district)2.Manny Lopez Representative(2nd district)2.Rolan ValerianoRepresentative(3rd district)1.Joel ChuaRepresentative(4th district)3.Giselle Lazaro-MacedaRepresentative(5th district)2.Irwin TiengRepresentative(6th district)1.Benny AbanteCouncilor(1st district)4.Niño Dela Cruz13.Martin Isidro Jr.14.MC Bobby Limyuen18.Peter Ong20.Marcelino Pedrozo24.Eugenio Santiago Jr.Councilor(2nd district)2.Ruben Buenaventura3.David Chua5.Rodolfo Lacsamana6.Marc Christian Lacson7.Numero Lim9.Roma Paula Robles-Daluz Councilor(3rd district)1.Karen Alibarbar3.Arlene Maile Atienza9.Pamela Fuguso-Pascual11.Ernesto Isip Jr.14.Jefferson LauCouncilor(4th district)3.Roy Bacani6.Freddie Bucad 13.Christian Floreindo19.Bong Marzan 20.Dianne Nieto26.Science ReyesCouncilor(5th district)13.Belinda Isip22.Charry OrtegaCouncilor(6th district)1.Benny Abante III5.Salvador Philip Lacuna7.Lito Linis 10.Francis Olaso 13.Martin I. Romualdez
Yorme's Choice (Aksyon Demokratiko)
+Yorme's Choice (Aksyon Demokratiko)Position# Name PartyMayor2.Isko MorenoVice mayor1.Chi AtienzaRepresentative(1st district)1.Ernix DionisioRepresentative(2nd district)1.Carlo Lopez Representative(3rd district)3.Apple Nieto-RodriguezRepresentative(4th district)4.Joel T. VillanuevaRepresentative(5th district)1.Amado Bagatsing Representative(6th district)2.Joey UyCouncilor(1st district)2.Irma Alfonso-Juson6.Joaquin Domagoso7.Jesus Fajardo Jr.11.Sigfred Hernane12.Rosalino Ibay Jr.16.Erick Ian NievaCouncilor(2nd district)1.Robert Bautista-Ong4.Nico Evangelista8.Rommel Miranda10.Darwin Sia11.John Christopher Sy12.Edward TanCouncilor(3rd district)2.Paul Alvarez8.Johnny Dela Cruz15.Christopher Tagle17.Mocha Uson18.Timothy Oliver ZarcalCouncilor(4th district)2.Francis Almiron4.Don Juan Bagatsing5.Romeo Bagay8.Eunice Castro23.Louisa Quintos31.Rino TolentinoCouncilor(5th district)1.Che Borromeo9.Bobby Espiritu10.Jaybee Hizon12.Mark Anthony Ignacio15.Sebastien Lao31.Raymundo YupangcoCouncilor(6th district)3.Voltaire Castañeda8.Kid Marasigan9.Fernando Mercado11Elmer Par15.Christian Uy17.Lou Veloso
Team SV Manila Wide +Team SV Manila WidePosition# Name PartyMayor11.Sam Verzosa Vice mayor2.Niño Anthony Magno Representative(3rd district)2.Ramon MoralesRepresentative(4th district)2.Luisito ChuaCouncilor(1st district)3.Michael De Leon5.Alexander Dionisio 10.Ian Halili25.Eduardo Solis 26.Monte TabiosCouncilor(3rd district)5.Antonio Cua LeeCouncilor(4th district)1.Romulo Acio Jr.11.Carlo Dela Cruz15.Gerardo Gamez25.Wendell Ramos28.Philip Jerico SyCouncilor(5th district)3.Rubee Ruth Cagasca4.Ariel Dakis 19.Andrew Ocampo25.Sonia TamondongCouncilor(6th district)12.Emilet Quirante18.Fernando Vergel
Team Joseph Lumbad +Team Joseph Lumbad (Filipino Rights Protection Advocates of Manila Movement)Position# Name PartyRepresentative(1st district)3.Joseph LumbadFRONTLINERSCouncilor(1st district)1.Adrian AlbanFRONTLINERS
Ilocano Defenders +Ilocano DefendersPosition# Name PartyMayor8.Michael SayVice mayor7.Solomon Say
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan +Kilusang Bagong LipunanPosition# Name PartyMayor9.Mahra TamondongVice mayor5.Remedios OyalesCouncilor(1st district)15.Sylvia Felisa ManansalaCouncilor(4th district)9.Edwin CayetanoCouncilor(5th district)11.Harry Huecas18.Jesus Magno27.Strauss Tugnao
Makabayan +MakabayanPosition# Name PartyCouncilor(1st district)9.Eduardo Gado
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas +Partido Federal ng PilipinasPosition# Name PartyMayor1.Raymond BagatsingVice mayor4.Pablo Chikee OcampoCouncilor(4th district)17.Andrew Lopez22.Eduardo Quintos29.Aldwin TanCouncilor(5th district)7.Paulino Martin Ejercito8.Gloria Enriquez 20.Marilou Ocsan30.Gladina Villar Councilor(6th district)2.Romualdo Billanes4.Juan Rafael Crespo
Partido Maharlika +Partido MaharlikaPosition# Name PartyCouncilor(1st district)8.Arturo FloraCouncilor(4th district)18.Ricardo Mariño
Independents +IndependentPosition# Name PartyMayor3.Jerry Garcia 4.Alvin Karingal 6.Jopor Ocampo 7.Enrico Reyes 10.Ervin Tan Vice mayor6.Arvin ReyesRepresentative(1st district)4.Edwin SantosRepresentative(4th district)1.Trisha Bonoan-DavidCouncilor(1st district)17.Paolo Crisanto Niguid19.Rosemarie Pamulaklakin21.Jacqueline Pineda 22.Michael John Pornilos23.Ferdinand Sandoval Councilor(3rd district)4.Henrick Shannon Cigres6.Nomer David7.Eleazar De Pereira10.Albert Alvin A. Go12.Jose Jamisola13.Rodelito JurillaCouncilor(4th district)7.Anton Capistrano10.Reymon Cortez12.Clark Ferrer14.Christopher Gabriel16.Mojtaba Habibi21.Mark Ryan Ponce24.Francisco Ramos27.Jerrick Rotap30.Napoleon TenayCouncilor(5th district)2.Injim Bunayog5.Diana Dayao6.Vincent Dinglasa14.Jonalaine Kuizon16.Wenifredo Limit17.Juan Luarca 21.Shaun Olarte 23.Jose Poligratis24.Dorothy Remegio26.Felix Tobillo Jr.28.Roderick Valbuena29.John Cyruz VillanuevaCouncilor(6th district)6.James Lagasca14.Edwin Salve16.Michael Valderama
Mayoral election The incumbent mayor is Honey Lacuna, who was elected in 2022 with 63.68% of the vote. Elected as a member of Asenso Manileño, Lacuna is seeking reelection to a second consecutive term as a member of Lakas–CMD, having joined the party on August 7, 2024.
Lacuna previously served as vice mayor from 2019 to 2022 under former Mayor Isko Moreno, who did not seek a second term to run for president of the Philippines. Moreno was unsuccessful in his bid and had stated since 2021 that he would retire from politics if he lost. However, in July 2024, media outlets reported that Moreno plans to seek a return to the mayoralty under a newly formed "Bagong Maynila" party, severing his ties to the Asenso Manileño party but remaining a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, continuing his role as its party president, stating that he was just answering the calls that he should return as mayor. Following the reports, Lacuna remained committed with her reelection bid and encouraged Moreno to reconsider his plans for the mayoralty, while maintaining respect for his eventual decision, emphasizing her "sibling love" for the former. Declared Raymond Bagatsing (Independent), actor Isko Moreno (Aksyon), mayor of Manila (2019–2022, 2025–present) Jerry Garcia (Independent) Alvin Karingal (Independent) Honey Lacuna (Asenso), mayor of Manila (2022–2025) Jopor Ocampo (Independent) Enrico Reyes (Independent) Michael Say (Ilocano Defenders) Mahra Tamondong (KBL), candidate for councilor in 2022 Ervin Tan (Independent) Sam Verzosa (Independent), Tutok To Win partylist representative (2022–2025)
Declined Imee Marcos (Nacionalista), incumbent senator of the Philippines (2019–present) (running for re-election)
Results
Opinion polling Fieldwork Date(s)PollsterSample SizeMoEDomagosoAksyonVersozaIndependentLacunaAsensoBagatsingIndependentApr 25–26, 2025Tangere1,500±2.48% 48%8%40%—Apr 20–23, 2025OCTA Research1,200±3%63%16%18%1%Mar 15–20, 2025RPMD Foundation Inc.5,000±1%45%38%15%— Mar 2–6, 2025 OCTA Research1,200±3%67%16%15%1%Jan 8–15, 2025HKPH-ARC1,800 ±2%46%15%31%— Jan 2–7, 2025 PhilData Trends1,200±3%72.1%13.5%12.3%1.4% Jan 2–7, 2025 OCTA Research1,200±3%74%15%9%—
Honey Lacuna vs. Isko Moreno