Liza Marcos teases Francis Zamora, Joy Belmonte as 2028 Senate bets

MANILA, Philippines — While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not yet officially announced who will be part of the administration’s senatorial ticket, his wife may already be giving the public a sneak peek.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos has teased San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte as possible senatoriables in the upcoming 2028 elections, as they have been busy distributing kilos of rice to vulnerable families in Metro Manila.

“I am here not because of a Covid-19 injection, but because of your mayor, who will be a senator,” the first lady said of Zamora on Monday during the distribution of rice under her office’s Mula sa Puso, Para sa Pamilya initiative.

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She was recalling her visit to San Juan in 2022 to get vaccinated against Covid-19, despite not being a resident of the city.

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“That was four years ago, and now here I am giving back to all of you. Life really does come full circle,” she said.

READ: Liza Marcos leads rice aid drive for 1,200 vulnerable families in QC

Zamora did not categorically confirm or deny whether he would run for senator in 2028, but he thanked the national government, particularly President Marcos and the first lady, for their trust in him.

“They have entrusted me with ensuring that all the issues and concerns of all local government units will be addressed, so it is my task to collate information on the ground,” said Zamora, who is also the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and first vice president of the Union of Local Authorities (Ulap) National Executive Board.

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Zamora is also the president of the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority composed of the 17 mayors of the metropolis.

During the rice distribution program in Quezon City on Friday, the first lady also had a playful exchange with Belmonte.

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“Thank you, Mayor Joy — Senator Joy?” First Lady Marcos said. “Senator Joy and I have already been together three times — your mayor is really impressive.”

Belmonte is the LCP national chairperson and executive vice president of Ulap.

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Zamora and Belmonte are term-limited as mayors, with their third consecutive terms ending in 2028. /mcm