More than a week after the May 9 National and Local polls, the 12 winning senatorial candidates were finally proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Wednesday, May 18.
The proclamation of the winning senatorial candidates was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent in Pasay City.
"Whereas, the Commission on Elections, sitting en banc as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) for Senators and Party-List Representatives, officially canvassed in open and public session, the votes cast for Senators in connection with the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE)," Comelec Commissioner George Garcia daid in reading NBOC Resolution No. 002-22 promulgated May 18.
"Whereas, on May 17, 2022 the NBOC approved in open session the recommendation of the Supervisory Committee that the National Board of Canvassers can already proceed to proclaim the 12 winning candidates for Senator ranked from 1st,to the 12th based on the election results from the 172 out of the 173 Certificayes of Canvass (COCs) canvassed by the NBOC considering that the election results in Shanghai and the Province of Lanao del Sur will no longer affect the ranking of the 12 winning candidates for Senator," he added.
"Now, therefore, by virtue of the powers vested under the 1987 Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa Blg. 881), and other election laws, the Commission on Elections, sitting en banc as the National Board of Canvassers, hereby declares the following candidates as the duly-elected Senators of the Republic of the Philippines in the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections," said Garcia.
Proclaimed are the following: Robin Padilla, Loren Legarda, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Mark Villar, Alan Peter Cayetano, Migz Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Risa Hontiveros, and Jinggoy Estrada.
The number of votes obtained by each candidate on the other hand are the following:
Padilla 26,612,434; Legarda 24,264,969; Tulfo 23,396,954; Gatchalian 20,602,655; Escudero 20,271,458, Villar 19,475,592; Cayetano 19,295,314; Zubiri 18,734,336; Villanueva 18,486,034; Ejercito 15,841,858; Hontiveros 15,420,807, and Estrada 15,108,625.
After the reading of the resolution, the winning senators were each presented with the Certificate of Proclamation by the members of the NBOC.
In his speech, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan wished the new Senators "success in leading our nation to its full potential."
The senators-elect will serve for a term of six years, beginning at noon of June 30, 2022, in accordance with Section 4, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.