Vilma Santos-Recto auditions for her next role: as Senator – #BotongPinoy2022
After over two decades as a local politician in her home province of Batangas, Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto is now poised to enter national politics by running for Senator in 2022.
A veteran award-winning actress dubbed as the “Star for All Seasons” of the Philippine entertainment industry, Santos-Recto is now serving her second term as a member of the House of Representative for the sixth district of Batangas. She previously served as Mayor of Lipa, Batangas from 1998 to 2007 before becoming provincial governor from 2007 to 2016.
Although “Ate Vi” is yet to formally announce her Senate bid, she has been running Internet advertisements touting her life story and legislative track record. She even has a website now – something that a candidate for a local position wouldn’t have to do.
Santos-Recto has long been discussed as a possible candidate for a national position. Ahead of the 2016 elections, then-presidential candidate Mar Roxas publicly considered her as running-mate. Earlier this year, opposition-leaning organization 1Sambayan mentioned her as a potential vice presidential nominee but she swiftly declined it.
It is likely that Santos-Recto is now more amenable to seeking a national post since her husband, Senator Ralph Recto, is ineligible to run for another term in the Senate. Recto previously mentioned that he and his wife might switch positions – with “Ate Vi” running for senate and him seeking the congressional seat she is about to vacate. He also mentioned that they are supporting the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
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