Former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator. Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATE) — Former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator. 

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The seasoned lawmaker was accompanied by his wife, actress Helen Gamboa, and children Ciara and Gian Sotto. 

With Sotto are former Sen. Panfilo Lacson and incumbent Sen. Lito Lapid, who also filed their COCs.

"Kami'y luimalahok para makatulong doon sa tingin namin na mga bagay na may mga pangangailangan sa ating bansa," Sotto explained.

Asked why he was running for the Senate again, he said many of his pet bills, including measure on the rightsizing of government, have not made any progress in Congress.

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"Number one I think is the bill that I filed before that has not been acted upon that should be pushed through, and that is the rightsizing of government. Sixty plus percent of the budget of government every year goes to personnel services and a big chunk also of the 40 percent goes to that servicing, so almost nothing is left to be distributed to our people," Sotto said. 

He also aired his frustration on the lack of progress on other bills he

"I would again push for a law that will outlaw fake news, fake contents. And then the 14th month pay law that I proposed before was not acted upon and then the hybrid elections. Marami pa sigurong iba," he added.

For Sotto, the 2 years he spent outside politics would be helpful once he returns in 2025, citing a similar experience in 2010.

"Nung nakapahinga ako from 2004 to 2010, pagbalik ko nung 2010 andami kong nagawa... Like ang mental health law, free medical scholarship, biglang nakita mo pagkukulang [from the outside]," Sotto said.

Sotto lost to now-Vice President Sara Duterte in the Halalan 2022 vice presidential race.

For 2025, Sotto is running under the slate of administration-backed Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas.

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