Dr. Willie Ong withdraws from 2025 senatorial race to focus on health
Dr. Willie Ong has withdrawn from the senatorial race, citing health reasons.
"I am officially withdrawing my candidacy for the 2025 elections. So I can focus more on taking care of my health," Ong said in a Feb. 13 Facebook post.
He thanked the people who supported and prayed for him.
"I will continue to support good governance and the candidates who espouse the same ideals as mine," he said. "Our advocacy to help the poor Filipinos continues even in my private capacity. Thank you for your understanding. God bless you all."
In September 2024, Ong, in his vlog, said he was diagnosed with sarcoma.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, sarcoma is a type of cancer that begins in the bones and the soft tissues.
Ong said his sarcoma, measuring 16x13x12 centimeters, was found in his abdomen, "hidden" behind his heart and in front of his spine. The mass "partially/completely" blocked his esophagus, inferior vena cava, and right atrium.
It was "very rare, aggressive, and very big" that it almost tightened his liver, inferior vena cava, and heart.
Despite his cancer diagnosis at the time, Ong said he was running for senator, intending to go through the campaign and election season in the "cleanest way" possible.
He said he was only going to spend P500,000 and wouldn't accept donations and sponsorships for his campaign.
On Dec. 2, 2024, Ong announced that he was cancer-free.
The doctor first ran for senator in 2019, finishing 18th place with about 7.4 million votes.
He ran for vice president in 2022 with then-Manila mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso as president. Ong finished fourth place with 8.2 million votes.
In the January 2025 Pulse Asia survey, Ong was in the 19th to 21st spot of preferred senatorial candidates.
