Padilla assumes post as president of Duterte’s PDP

MANILA, Philippines —  Ten months before the May 2025 midterm elections, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) announced that Sen. Robinhood Padilla is now the party president.

In a statement, the PDP expressed confidence in Padilla’s leadership.

“As the new PDP president, Sen. Padilla will continue to consolidate the party membership and prepare for the 2025 midterm elections, which Rep. (Jose) Alvarez started,” the PDP said.

“We are confident that under Sen. Padilla’s leadership, the party is in good hands and will continue to be a major force for reform and development in the country,” it added.

Padilla, previously the party’s executive vice president and acting president, takes over from Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Chaves Alvarez, who had resigned from his position.

The PDP thanked Alvarez for leading the party in the last 20 months.

Last April, PDP-Laban’s leaders, including former president and chairman Rodrigo Duterte, opted to drop the word Laban.

Sen. Francis Tolentino justified the rebranding of the party as an “evolutionary process of a shift in ideology” as the word Laban connotes confrontation or opposition.

The party also disclosed that it would form a senatorial lineup for the 2025 polls that would represent all regions in the Philippines.

The senatorial slate includes incumbent Senators Bong Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Tolentino and actor Philip Salvador.

Go earlier said that PDP will continue its fight to improve the lives of Filipinos, even if Laban has been removed from its name.

Dela Rosa said that he and his fellow senators will remain united and true to PDP and will never sacrifice their principles.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III yesterday asked why they did not just form their own political party instead of rebranding PDP.

Pimentel, son and namesake of party founder late senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., said he is saddened that some people had to fight over the party, which they changed eventually.