Winning senatorial candidate Camille Villar reported spending P179.6 million during the election campaign, based on her own submission to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
She was followed by winning senators Lito Lapid and Pia Cayetano, as well as losing candidates Benjamin Abalos and Abigail Binay. All four reported spending more than P150 million during the official campaign period.
All five top spenders were showing precarious standings in pre-election surveys. Cayetano, Lapid and Villar ranked 9th, 10th and 11th, respectively, in the final results.
Binay and Abalos ranked 15th and 16th, respectively.
The poll body has released on its website copies of Form 1 of the Statement of Contributions and Expenses (SOCEs) of candidates in the 2025 midterm elections.
The amounts show self-reported contributions and expenditures during the official campaign period, from February 11 to May 10.
SOCE: Top spenders in the 2025 Senate race
| Top spenders | Amount in PHP |
| Camille Villar | P179.64 M |
| Lito Lapid | P163.58 M |
| Pia Cayetano | P 162 M |
| Benjamin Abalos | P160.49 M |
| Abigail Binay | P157.86 M |
Villar reported receiving P159.6 million in cash donations, or almost 89% of her total spending. The rest was presumably “out of personal funds,” a declaration that is no longer present in Form 1.
Almost 98% of her campaign funds — P175.8 million — went to “newspaper, radio, TV, and other advertisements to promote the candidacy, including website/internet ad placements,” based on SOCE Form 1.
PCIJ’s monitoring of candidates’ ad spending includes expenditures from the year before the elections. It showed higher totals based on rate card values.
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who topped the senatorial elections, reported spending P127.31 million. Sen. Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV reported spending P86.15 million.
Only 60 of the 66 senatorial candidates submitted their SOCE as of June 11, the deadline for the submission of spending reports.
Spending of winning senatorial candidates
| Candidates | Total spending (self-reported) |
| 1. Bong Go | P 127.31 M |
| 2. Bam Aquino | P 86.15 M |
| 3. Bato Dela Rosa | P 128.72 M |
| 4. Erwin Tulfo | P 110.35 M |
| 5. Kiko Pangilinan | P 119.40 M |
| 6. Rodante Marcoleta | P 112.85 M |
| 7. Ping Lacson | P 18.95 M |
| 8. Tito Sotto | P 96.54 M |
| 9. Pia Cayetano | P 162 M |
| 10. Camille Villar | P179.64 M |
| 11. Lito Lapid | P 163.58 M |
| 12. Imee Marcos | P 139.29 |
A few candidates reported receiving zero donations, including Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who declared P112.85 million in expenses. Jose Montemayor also reported no contributions and no spending during the campaign.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson reported spending only P18.95 million, but he also reported receiving P99.5 million worth of in-kind donations.
PCIJ has requested complete copies of the SOCE documents from the Comelec.— PCIJ.org