Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros officially launched her 2028 presidential campaign last weekend. The curtain was raised by a grassroots mobilization event called "Aton Ini! Risa for 6," spontaneously initiated by over 1500 supporters, widely regarded as her formal entry into the presidential race—although she still maintains an open stance on "prioritizing coalition integration." For the Philippine gambling industry, her name is anything but a neutral signal. Over the past few years, Hontiveros has been the loudest voice on Capitol Hill against POGO, and her name is at the top of the list of main proponents of the "2025 Anti-POGO Act."
From Anti-POGO Champion to Presidential Candidate: The Label is Welded On
Hontiveros's political label in the Philippine political arena is quite clear—staunchly anti-China and anti-POGO, almost narratively synonymous. She has long dominated the gambling industry's governance agenda, repeatedly questioning the stance of some government officials and law enforcement agencies on POGO issues during the anti-POGO legislation process, sparking never-ending political debates. Her parliamentary style is described by the Philippine media as "persistent questioning"—not the table-thumping loud politician, but one who probes with data and loopholes until there is nowhere to hide. This style is particularly effective on gambling regulation issues, due to the many grey areas in the POGO chain.
Readers familiar with PASA's official website should be no strangers to the history of Philippine POGO—from its peak period of massive expansion, to the comprehensive shutdown in 2024-2025, and then to the post-shutdown era where Chinese clientele dried up and Manila's physical casinos entered a winter, the entire industry has been experiencing a profound phase of "de-POGOization." Now, a senator with anti-POGO as her political calling card running for president means that this phase of pain is far from over.
Grassroots Start, Slow Cook: Not Wanting to Miss the Window Again
The organization mode of the "Aton Ini!" mobilization event has a distinct grassroots flavor. Many participants admitted that they were at a disadvantage during the 2022 election phase due to a late start, and this time the strategy is completely opposite—planning three years in advance, not seeking explosive outbreaks, but accumulating momentum bit by bit. In their words, they do not want to miss the window period again.
Hontiveros herself is very measured in expressing her intentions to run. She has previously signaled: not ruling out running, but more importantly, the opposition needs to consolidate strength and choose the most likely winner—even if that person might not be herself. She speaks openly, but also leaves enough room for herself. From a political maneuvering perspective, this "I can advance or retreat" stance actually makes it easier to get a good deal in coalition negotiations.
2028 Landscape: The Duterte Family Remains the Toughest Mountain to Climb
If she ultimately completes the consolidation of camps and resource mobilization, her most likely opponent in the 2028 election would be the current Vice President Sara Duterte. The latter has a solid base in Mindanao and the Visayas that is difficult to shake, and the political discounting ability of the family brand has been verified by more than one election. Additionally, Naga City Mayor Robredo and Senator Raffy Tulfo are also considered to have significant voice and mobilization bases.
From the current perspective, this election looks more like "a pre-heating race three years in advance"—various camps have already started to test the waters, and Hontiveros's move is strategically about planting the flag early, telling the world not only that she is in the game, but also ready to fight seriously. For the Philippine gambling industry, an anti-POGO champion moving from Capitol Hill to Malacañang means that the industry will face not just a legislative straitjacket, but a comprehensive tightening of the entire administrative system from top to bottom. Of course, no one dares to bet on the pace of change in Philippine politics—the electoral landscape three years later is too early to conclude now.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel: https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
