Teodoro Casiño

Teodoro "Teddy" Acevedo Casiño (, born November 15, 1968) is a Filipino activist, writer, and journalist. He was a member of the House of Representatives for Bayan Muna. He is currently the chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). He had a short stint in ABS-CBN's Hoy Gising! and The Correspondents. In 2002, he was accorded the UPLB Distinguished Alumni Award for Extension.

As a writer, Casiño was a regular contributor to the Philippine Daily Inquirers Youngblood column from 1994 to 1996. In 1995, he became a regular columnist for Business World, one of the most respected business newspapers in the country. He also wrote columns for the tabloids People's Bagong Taliba and Frontpage, the OFW weekly Pinoy Gazette, and the online magazine Bulatlat.com.

In April 2023, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan held its 10th National Congress, in which Casiño was elected Chairperson. He succeeded Carol Araullo, who had been the Chairperson since Bayan's 2009 Congress. By February 2025, it was consolidated with two other complaints into a single impeachment complaint and signed by 240 lawmakers out of 305, reaching the 1/3 vote threshold and impeaching Vice President Duterte.

On January 26, 2026, Casiño and 35 others filed the second impeachment complaint against President Bongbong Marcos, citing his potential involvement in the "BBM Parametric Formula" used by the Department of Public Works and Highways, which they alleged to have allowed systemic corruption in government, as well as his alleged involvement in kickback schemes and unprogrammed appropriations.

Legislative career

In the May 2004 elections, Casiño was elected as Bayan Muna's representative in Congress. With the re-election of Bayan Muna in the 2007 partylist polls, he returned to Congress.

In 2013, Casiño ran for the Senate as an independent, nominated by the Makabayan bloc and receiving the support of Senator Bong Revilla. He failed to win a Senate seat after finishing 22nd overall in the vote tally.

Casiño ran again during the 2025 elections under the 11-person Makabayan bloc senatorial slate and failed to win as well, placing 32nd in the vote tally, the highest amongst the bloc's candidates.

15th Congress In the 15th Congress, Casiño became the chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development, where he championed the welfare of micro, small, and medium enterprises. As chairperson of the Committee, Casiño also spearheaded "Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy!"—a grassroots campaign promoting the consumption of Filipino-made products and the development of integrated, world-class Filipino industries.

He is also senior vice chairperson of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education, safeguarding the youth's right to affordable and quality education.

Authored laws and bills Laws Casiño is one of the principal authors of four laws that have benefited the poor and marginalized sectors, namely:

The Public Attorneys Act of 2007 (R.A. 9406), which strengthened the Public Attorneys Office and expanded its free legal services to poor litigants; The Tax Relief Act of 2009 (R.A. 9504), which exempts minimum wage earners from withholding taxes; The Rent Control Act of 2009 (R.A. 9653), which put a cap on rent for low-income earners; The Anti-Torture Act of 2009 (R.A. 9745), which penalizes torture.

Aside from this, he has authored a total of 178 authored and 376 co-authored measures, making him the 4th most prolific congressman in the 15th Congress.

Bills Casiño's main advocacy is the lowering of prices of electricity, oil, and water, as well as the regulation of the cost of education, healthcare, mobile communications, toll fees, and other basic utilities and services. Towards this end, he has filed bills on:

The removal of VAT on power (HB 2719), oil (HB 1630), and toll fees (HB 5303); The regulation of oil prices (HB 4355), mobile phone services (HB 5653), tuition fees (HB 1961), and interest rates (HB 4917).

He has consistently opposed budget cuts in Philippine state colleges and universities, as well as the privatization of public hospitals and water districts.

As a relentless fighter of corruption and government abuse, Casiño is also the principal author of:

The Whistleblowers Protection and Rewards Bill (HB 132), The Freedom of Information Bill (HB 133), The Anti-Dynasty Bill (HB 3413), The House version of the Anti-Epal Bill (HB 2309).

Electoral history