In the 2025 elections, there is zero tolerance for sexists.
In Filipino, bawal ang bastos. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) made this clear by passing Resolution No. 11116, which makes any form of discrimination an election offense. One of its highlights is discrimination in the form of gender-based harassment.
Barely two months into the national campaign, and just weeks into the local campaign, various candidates seem to have overlooked the resolution, or were just brazen enough to make crass jokes in public campaign activities.
Rappler has compiled a running list of candidates documented to have made sexist or discriminatory statements in public campaigns, or have a history of making misogynistic remarks. We are updating this as more reports are made.
Ian Sia, Pasig City
Lawyer Ian Sia, who is running for Pasig City lone district representative, became infamous overnight when a video of him at an April 2 caucus in Barangay Pinagbuhatan documented him suggesting that menstruating single mothers could sleep with him once a year.
He was not done there — in another barangay event on April 3, he body-shamed his former female staff.
The Comelec issued two show cause orders against Sia for both incidents, which means he must explain why he shouldn’t face an election offense case or be disqualified from the election for his actions.
Peter Unabia, Misamis Oriental
Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia also went viral on social media, as Filipinos criticized him for stereotyping people from the Bangsamoro and reinforcing gender-based stereotypes.
Unabia is running for reelection.
In a rally, Unabia said that the capitol’s nursing scholarship is only for “beautiful women,” and that “ugly women” are not allowed since male patients supposedly wouldn’t like seeing an unattractive nurse.
In another rally, he insinuated that Maranaos would bring trouble to Misamis Oriental if candidates with Bangsamoro ties gained power in the province.
The Comelec issued a show cause order against Unabia on Monday, April 7.
Jay Ilagan, Batangas
Batangas gubernatorial candidate Jay Manalo Ilagan is challenging the ruling coalition of Batangas, and one of the ways he attempted to size them up was by making a sexist attack against his rival, Vilma Santos-Recto.
In its show cause order against Ilagan, the Comelec referred to a video of Ilagan saying that he was not afraid of Recto, an actress and former Batangas congresswoman, because she was “past her prime.”
“Ang aking kalaban ay isang Vilma Santos lang na laos na. Hindi ako takot. Kung sa Kathryn Bernardo at si Andrea Brillantes ay takot ako. Pero Vilma Santos, marami naman sa mga fans niya ang namamahinga na rin, ang iba rin naman ay siyempre nasa edad ‘yan,” said Ilagan in a video posted on Facebook.
(My opponent is Vilma Santos only, who has faded from the spotlight. I’m not afraid of her. If my opponent was Kathryn Bernardo or Andrea Brillantes I would be afraid. But it’s Vilma Santos, and many of her fans are already old and resting.)
Rodrigo Duterte, Davao City
Possibly one of the most prominent public figures in the Philippines who has made public sexist remarks, former president Rodrigo Duterte was instrumental in normalizing misogyny at the highest position of the country.
Three years since he left Malacañang, Duterte is seeking to return to his post as Davao City mayor, even as he is currently detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague over alleged crimes against humanity.
Lray Villafuerte, Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Luis Raymund “Lray” Villafuerte has a history of controversial remarks. For instance, in 2024 during his son Congressman Migz’s birthday celebration, he delivered a series of sexually suggestive “pick-up lines.”
Here’s one example: “Balita ko, ang mga taga-Nabua, parang chicharon. Alam ‘nyo kung bakit? Chicharon ba kayo? Dahil ang ingay ‘nyo pag kinakain kayo.” (I heard that the people of Nabua are like pork cracklings. Do you know why? Are you pork cracklings? Because you are noisy when you are being eaten.)
Villafuerte claimed that the crowd was happy about his remarks, and attacked the radio program that posted it on Facebook in January.
Mocha Uson, Manila
While not uttering a sexist remark herself, blogger and Manila city council candidate Mocha Uson has been using a double entendre in her campaign jingle, which might be seen as prohibited by the Comelec’s rules against discrimination.
Uson’s campaign jingle uses the lyrics, “Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap (Mocha’s cookie is delicious).”
On Tuesday, April 8, the Comelec came out with a supplementary resolution to the original anti-discrimination resolution, and included “immoral doctrines, obscene publications, exhibitions, and indecent shows” as among prohibited acts. – Rappler.com