By Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Adrian H. Halili, Reporters

NEWLY ELECTED SENATORS in the Philippines are expected to play key roles in the country’s agriculture policy, trade, and national defense among others, analysts said separately.

Returning Senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan is seen as a likely advocate for agriculture-centered diplomacy, leveraging his long-standing commitment to boosting the sector’s competitiveness, according to Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy lecturer at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.

His legislative focus is expected to include efforts to strengthen agri-trade partnerships and integrate technological advancements to modernize farming, a sector critical to rural livelihoods but still lagging regional counterparts, he added.

The elections were widely seen as a referendum on the administration’s performance, particularly its economic and foreign policy direction. The results indicated a partial shift in voter sentiment, with a mixed slate of administration allies and opposition figures winning Senate seats.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday proclaimed the twelve new lawmakers, with Mr. Pangilinan placing fifth in the tight race, with over 15.34 million votes.

“The Magna Carta for Farmers, which Pangilinan first floated during his vice presidential bid in 2022, is something that he will certainly be adamant about, as it will also encompass his goal of ensuring that the rights and welfare of farmers are protected and promoted,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

His role in the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) debates “will certainly be significant,” Mr. Cortez said, as he would now be considered a “primary actor” in the agricultural sector within the Senate.

However, the academic noted it may be a tricky role as the law is still undergoing some amendments.

“In line with the Marcos administration’s aspiration to make the law more beneficial to the end of farmers and consumers alike, Senator Pangilinan can be among the ‘pressuring agents’ to ensure that the goals of the administration in its revamping of the policy will come to fruition,” Mr. Cortez said.

One of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s most high-profile campaign promises during the 2022 national elections was to bring down the retail price of rice to P20 per kilo, a pledge aimed at addressing food insecurity and the rising cost of living for Filipino consumers.

The Marcos administration introduced initiatives to boost local rice production, including expanded fertilizer support, mechanization, and improved irrigation. It also pursued strategic imports to stabilize supply and collaborated with local retailers to offer subsidized rice in targeted Kadiwa rolling stores and outlets.

Ateneo de Manila University, Political Science Lecturer Hansley A. Juliano said the new lawmakers could draft policies protecting farmland from takeover or gentrification.

Farmers are often forced to sell their land to developers due to unfavorable farming conditions or minimal support from the government. This has placed a strain on local production.

“We need a new law that protects land from further takeovers and uses change for gentrification,” he added in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Farmer organizations have lobbied for the insertion of anti-land conversion provisions in a proposed Land Use Act, which was approved by the House of Representatives in 2023. The bill remains pending in the Senate.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Moreover, Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV and former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, who were second and eighth, respectively, in the May polls, will likely have a hand in international trade policies.

“[Mr. Aquino] has a social entrepreneurship background, and the fact that he became the Senate Chair on the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, it can be easily argued that he has a solid grasp already of the matter,” Mr. Cortez noted.

While Mr. Sotto has been campaigning since 2021 to include a one-liner adage, “as may be provided by law,” in the Constitution to allow Congress to provide for laws on foreign ownership, global trade, and other economic initiatives should the need arise.

“Therefore, we can also say that concerning international trade, his expertise will undoubtedly be helpful,” he added.

The broader context of international trade has also been shaped by major global developments in recent months, such as the imposition of tariffs under US President Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Cortez said the new composition of the Congress would not “totally change” in terms of international trade.

While openness to foreign capital and ownership will continue, Mr. Cortez said lawmakers will still push for policies that balance between openness and protectionism, particularly in the agriculture sector.

Lawmakers would not want to put the sector in further peril, he said.

DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY
Meanwhile, returning Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr., who placed seventh in the last polls, with over 15.10 million votes, is seen to influence defense policy.

“[Mr. Lacson] has been vocal in recognizing the integral role alliances may play in our quest to exercise our sole rights over the disputed territories,” Mr. Cortez added. “If one may remember, in 2021, he encouraged the country to take a more proactive stance given the aggressiveness of China towards our troops deployed in the West Philippine Sea.”

The former police chief has previously called for a more assertive approach in the disputed area, Mr. Cortez noted.

At the House of Representatives, former Senator and Representative-elect Leila M. De Lima will most likely have a hand in shaping foreign policy, especially in relation to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s trial before the International Criminal Court.

Her party-list, Mamamayang Liberal (ML), was the force behind probes into Mr. Duterte’s bloody war on drugs and extrajudicial killings.

“ML will be the key player in bills geared towards the issue. We can speculate, as early as now, that being part of the impeachment trial process is already a step towards this role that the Party-list will play in the Lower House,” Mr. Cortez said.

Ms. De Lima, who initiated investigations into the bloody drug war, was sent behind bars during Mr. Duterte’s presidency.

Overall, the second half of the Marcos administration may face greater pressure from the new set of lawmakers vis-à-vis its approach to China. Mr. Cortez said this pressure will mainly come from the opposition.

“However, given that the way the current regime manages matters relating to the issue seems to be a total pivot from how the former administration handled it — hence even the opposition bloc in a way also shares the same sentiments as his — then we can expect that this ‘toughened pressure’ will only be exerted by stakeholders when the strategies employed seem to not work.”

Meanwhile, University of Asia and the Pacific Institute of Law Dean Jemy Gatdula said that legislators must update and strengthen laws protecting the country’s national security.

“There should be an updating on the laws of espionage and particularly on the laws of treason so that we would have greater tools with which we could protect our national security,” Mr. Gatdula said in a Facebook chat.

This comes after reports of alleged spying activity being conducted by Beijing, to reportedly disrupt the 2025 midterm elections.

Earlier, the National Security Council said that there were “indications” that China was trying to sway the midterm national and local elections in favor of its bets. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has since denied these claims.

Local authorities had also arrested an alleged Chinese spy who had accessed data containing the identity of about 5,000 mobile phone subscribers using an international mobile subscriber identity device (IMSI) device.

HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION
Further, Mr. Juliano said that 2025 midterm results suggested that people seek continued policies on health care, free education and general education reform.

“These things are clearly fundamental now to the survival and protection of our economic growth and addressing inequality. So there’s a whole host of policies to address in this vein,” Mr. Juliano said.

On the Healthcare sector, Mr. Juliano said that newly elected legislators should review the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.

“The existence of Malasakit Centers will not contribute any further to addressing our healthcare issues unless we strengthen other foundational institutions and make our system, especially PhilHealth, stable and more financially capable,” he added.

Malasakit (care) Centers are government funded one-stop-shop centers that provides medical and financial assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos.

“Increasing caps and coverage must continue and privatization should be halted sooner than later,” he said.

LABOR
Additionally, Mr. Juliano said that policies protecting the Filipino worker’s security of tenure should also be prioritized by newly elected Senators.

“There was an attempt to pass this under Duterte as Senate Bill No. 1826, but it clearly didn’t push through. We better do this now with an emerging mandate,” he said.

Similarly, Federation of Free Workers President Jose G. Matula called on the 20^th congress to ban contractualization both in the private and public sectors, ensuring workers have regular and permanent employment status.

“Workers in government also deserve security of tenure, just like those in the private sector. Labor-only contracting, contracts of service, job orders, and agency work should no longer be the norm,” he said via Viber message.

In contractual schemes, employment is terminated before six months, the period which by law triggers regular employee status.