A past comment by former Miss Universe titleholder Gloria Diaz resurfaced following actor Phillip Salvador’s unsuccessful Senate bid in the 2025 midterm elections
Based on partial, unofficial results aggregated from Comelec data as of May 15, 2025, 2:41 p.m., the actor failed to secure a Senate seat as he only ranked 19th.
Only 12 seats are available for new and reelected senators, with winners set to serve midway through President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
Phillip, who sought a Senate seat under the PDP-Laban slate backed by former president Rodrigo Duterte, previously said he wanted to “serve the Filipino public,” adding it was his “last hurrah.”
While he is most known for his long-running acting career, Phillip said that his bid for public office was a culmination of his desire to serve.
Meanwhile, a Facebook account remembered Gloria’s comment to her contemporary during the campaign period.
Last April, a video of Phillip passionately expressing his support for the detained former president went viral, with the actor exclaiming, “Bring him home!”
Duterte is currently at the International Criminal Court Detention Center, where he is accused of committing crimes against humanity of murder in relation to his bloody “War on Drugs” campaign.
Gloria was among those who saw the clip of Philip rallying for Duterte.
“‘’Yung anak mo, [padalhan] mo ng pera,” she commented on March 29.
The former beauty queen’s comment caught the attention of some Filipinos, who called her a “queen” for her bold remark to the actor.
While Gloria did not name names, Phillip is widely known as the father of Josh Aquino, the eldest son of Kris Aquino.
In 2019, Kris revealed in a Facebook Live that the actor had not provided Josh with any financial support, not even a single peso, for 16 years.
She made a similar statement in 2015, saying she was “solely financially responsible” for Josh’s upbringing.
A Facebook account looked back at Gloria’s comment to Phillip after he failed to secure a Senate seat in this year’s polls.
“This diva,” the Facebook account said in the comments, referring to Gloria.
Other social media users also reacted to the post after the actor failed in his political bid.
“How can [you] be a good leader if you aren’t a good parent,” a Facebook user commented.
“Go home and be a good father to Josh, period,” another wrote wrote.
“[‘Yung] tatay na kung anu-ano inuuna [kaysa] mag-sustento sa anak,” a different Pinoy commented.
“E di kulelat tuloy,” another Facebook user said.
ALSO READ: ‘The queen has spoken’: Gloria Diaz’s remark on Phillip Salvador as a father takes spotlight | Actor Phillip Salvador’s death wish for Duterte critics disappointed his fans
In 2019, Philip made headlines after he uttered a death wish to Duterte’s critics.
