LAGUNA, Philippines – A week before the elections, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III endorsed the candidacies of all 7 reelectionist senators.

Sotto made the announcement – a first for a sitting Senate president – on Monday, May 6, in Calamba City.

Six of the 7 reelectionists are members of the majority bloc: Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Koko Pimentel, Grace Poe, and Cynthia Villar.

Sotto, a known administration ally, also endorsed the lone opposition reelectionist senator, Bam Aquino.

“Ako po’y 27 taon nang senador (I’ve been senator for 27 years). I have been with the best and the brightest. One thing I can assure you, the lineup of reelectionists is the reason why the Senate reached the highest ever approval rating it has ever had from 1986 to present,” Sotto said in a press conference.

Sotto, who replaced Pimentel as Senate president in May 2018, maintained his “very good” +61 net satisfaction rating in the March 2019 Social Weather Stations survey.

Under his term, public satisfaction for the Senate also rose to a “very good” +62 in March 2019 from +58 in December 2018. (READ: How 7 reelectionist senators voted on key issues, bills)

Aside from the reelectionists, Sotto also endorsed Taguig City Representative Pia Cayetano and Lito Lapid, who are both seeking to return to the Senate, as well as President Rodrigo Duterte’s longtime aide Bong Go.

Sotto also pushed for the Luntiang Pilipinas party, where his daughter Ciara is the second nominee. – Rappler.com