Comelec: 68.4M voters expected today
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday called on Filipinos to vote responsibly and help protect the integrity of the country’s democratic processes when they exercise their right to suffrage today.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said there are 68,431,965 registered voters nationwide.
They are assigned in 93,287 clustered precincts located in 37,528 voting centers.
A total of 18,255 elective candidates are set to be elected today, including 12 senators and 63 party-list representatives.
Also to be elected are 254 district representatives, 82 governors, 82 vice governors, 840 provincial board members, 1,642 mayors, 1,642 vice mayors, and 13,638 councilors.
There are 66 candidates for senator and 155 party-list organizations, with each group having 10 party-list nominees.
There are also 615 congressional candidates, 231 gubernatorial beys, 198 vice gubernatorial bets, 1,661 provincial board member candidates, 3,767 mayoral bets, 3,485 vice mayoral candidates, and 31,385 candidates for councilor.
In a video message released on the eve of the May 12 national and local elections, Marcos also urged all candidates to respect the processes and its results.
“Mga kababayan, ngayong halalan, gamitin natin ang ating karapatan at gampanan ang ating pananagutan bilang mamamayang Pilipino. Isang pagkakataon ito para marinig ang boses ng bawat isa at maipahayag ang mga pangarap na mahalaga sa inyo at sa bayan (My fellow countrymen, on this Election Day, let us exercise our rights and fulfill our responsibilities as Filipino citizens. This is an opportunity for each of us to have our voices heard and to express the dreams that are important to you and the nation),” he said.
He urged the people to vote for the right candidates and “choose honest, compassionate and competent leaders.”
Marcos also asked the public, especially the candidates, to help keep the midterm polls honest, orderly, and peaceful and to respect the beliefs and opinion of everyone.
He said the differences of opinion among Filipinos should not lead to division, violence or fear.
“Ang pagkakaiba ng opinyon ay hindi dapat mauwi sa gulo o pananakot. Ipinaglalaban natin ang kinabukasan sa balota, hindi sa lansangan, hindi sa karahasan (The differences of opinion should not lead to disorder or intimidation. We must fight for our future through the ballots, not in the streets, not with violence,” he said.
“Sa mga kandidato, igalang natin ang proseso. Tapusin natin ang halalan nang may dangal at katahimikan. Magtulungan po tayo upang mapanatili ang isang maayos, mapayapa, at makatarungang halalan (To the candidates, let us respect the process. Let us end the election with dignity and peace. Let us work together to maintain a fair, peaceful, and just election),” he added.
In an interview at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel, which is the venue of the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), Comelec chairman George Garcia called on the public to go out and vote, and vote early if possible.
“It is our hope that we can have a higher voter turnout, especially since it has been declared as a non-working day. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to vote. Let’s not waste the opportunity to vote,” he said.
“Hopefully, we can have 100 percent (voter turnout). Back in 2019, we had a 63 to 65 percent voter turnout. It really goes down during the midterm elections. In the 2022 presidential elections, we had an 83.5 percent voter turnout,” he also said.
Garcia also urged everyone to vote as early as possible, with senior citizens and persons with disability allowed to vote as early as 5 a.m., while the rest can do so between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“It is better to vote early. Don’t do it later in the day when majority of voters will come out,” said Garcia.
“Vote according to their conscience. Don’t allow yourselves to be dictated by anybody, by money, or whatever promises they gave,” he also said.
Senate President Francis Escudero said voters should exercise their right to suffrage since this is the only day that all Filipinos will be at equal footing.
“Ngayong ika-12 ng Mayo gamitin po natin ang karapatang bumoto bilang patunay na tayo’y malayang mamamayan, bilang paggalang sa ating mga bayani na ipinaglaban ito. Sa araw lang ng halalan tunay na magkaka-pantay ang bawat Pilipino (We must exercise our right to vote this day to prove that we are free and as recognition to the great men and women who fought for this right since it is only today that all Filipinos become equal),” he said.
He said the people must choose their leaders wisely without being influenced by others “for this is the foundation of our democracy which will mold the nation’s future.”
“Sa darating na Lunes, isusulat natin sa balota ang isang bagong kabanata ng kasaysayan ng ating bansa at nasa ating mga kamay ang landas na tatahakin ng ating Lipunan (This Monday, we will write in the ballots a new chapter of our nation that will guide the country),” he also said.
Like the president, Escudero appealed to candidates to respect the people’s will.
“Nawa’y maging mapayapa ang ating halalan at tanggapin nating lahat ang pasiya ng taumbayan anuman ito at kanino mang panig sila nakahanay (I hope that we will have peaceful elections and that we will all accept the decision of the majority regardless which side we are on),” he added.
GUIDANCE
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday encouraged the millions of Filipino voters to seek guidance from the Lord when they cast their votes.
In a brief message, CBCP president Cardinal Pablo David advised the faithful to seek Divine guidance in choosing their candidates.
“Please ask for the Lord’s help and guidance in choosing who we should vote for,” he said, adding the choice of candidates must be done by considering the welfare of the younger generation.
“We should vote for the sake of the future of the country and the next generation,” he added.
In a related development, the Cardinal reiterated that the CBCP does not endorse political candidates.
This is in the wake of a circulating letter stating that the CBCP has supposedly endorsed 12 senatorial candidates.
“Whoever drafted that fake CBCP statement was clever enough to sort of suggest a new kind of UniTeam. Sorry, but we don’t make such endorsements. Haha,” said David in a social media post.
The fake letter circulating online claims that the CBCP has endorsed the candidacies of Ronald dela Rosa, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Raul Lambino, Philip Salvador, Willie Revillame, Imee Marcos, Vic Rodriguez, Camille Villar, Jimmy Bondoc, Manny Pacquiao, and Bam Aquino.
WHERE THEY ARE VOTING
Marcos will cast his vote at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School in Batac City in Ilocos Norte, where he is expected to be accompanied by his family.
Vice President Sara Duterte will cast her vote at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City.
She is expected to arrive at Polling Precinct No. 1245A, under Cluster Precinct No. 361, between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Senators and several senatorial candidates have also disclosed where they are voting today.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri will vote at the San Miguel Elementary School in Maramas, Bukidno; Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian at the Canumay West Elementary School in Valenuzela City; Sen. Raffy Tulfo at the Quezon City High School; Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano at the Cipriano St. Teresa Elementary School in Bagumbayan, Taguig City; Sen. Pia Cayetano
at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Elementary School in Taguig City; Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid at the Porac Elementary School in Porac, Pampanga; Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher Go in Davao City; Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada and half brother Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito at the Xavier School in San Juan City; and Sen. Imee Marcos at the Cabeza Elementary School in Laoag City.
The senatorial candidates of the administration’s “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas” are also set to vote in their respective hometowns and cities.
Reelectionist Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. will cast his vote at the Perpetual Village V in Bacoor, Cavite; Rep. Erwin Tulfo in Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City; former interior secretary Benhur Abalos at the Highway Hills Integrated School in Mandaluyong City; former senator Panfilo Lacson at the Bayan Luma Elementary school in Imus, Cavite; former senator Vicente Sotto III at White Plains, Quezon City; and Makati Mayor Abby Binay at the Nemesio Yabut Elem School.
Former Sen. Manny Pacquiao will vote at the Kiamba Central Elementary School in Barangay Poblacion, Kiamba, Sarangani; Sen. Francis Tolentino at the Francisco Tolentino Memorial School in Tagaytay City, Cavite; and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar at the Las Piñas City National Science High School.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the Alyansa’s campaign manager, will be monitoring the results of the midterm elections at the Alyansa’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Former senator Francis Pangilinan will vote at the Inchican Elementary School in Silang, Cavite; while former senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino will cast his vote at the Concepcion South Central in Concepcion, Tarlac. Akbayan party list nominee Chel Diokno will vote at the San Juan National High School in San Juan City.
PDP Laban bets Rodante Marcoleta will vote at the Filinvest East Clubhouse in Cainta, Rizal; Jimmy Bondoc at the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City; and Vic Rodiguez at the Quezon City High School.
BILIBID INMATES
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said 1,423 inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City will cast their votes at the Bilibid compound today. Voting will start at 7 a.m.
Comelec chairperson George Garcia is expected to visit the national penitentiary at around 11 a.m. to check on the voting.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said a total of 4,125 inmates from Bilibid and the six other BuCor prison and penal farms are qualified to cast their votes.
The Davao Prison and Penal Farm and the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte have 924 and 421 inmate voters, respectively; 123 female inmates at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City; and 92 at the CIW-Mindanao
Inmates who are qualified to vote include those confined in jail or formally charged for any crime and are awaiting or undergoing trial of their cases and those serving prison sentences of less than one year.
AUTOMATED SYSTEM
The May 2025 midterm polls will see the use of the new automated counting machines (ACMs) provided by South Korean service provider, Miru Systems.
It will also be the first time that the Secure Electronic Transmission System (SETS) of the iOne Resources Inc., and the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) of the Sequent Tech Inc. will be used by the Comelec.
Garcia said unofficial poll results may be viewed in the Comelec website in “real time.”
“They are not summed up in total as we have to wait for the official canvassed results,” he said.
The canvassed results will go though the municipal/city and provincial board of canvassers, and will then be transmitted to the NBOC, which is based in the Tent City of the Manila Hotel.
Meanwhile, Garcia said the Comelec en banc has decided to transfer the venue of the Provincial Board of Canvassers in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur at Camp Siongco, which is the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division (6ID) of the Philippine Army, located in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. – With Raymond Africa, Wendell Vigilia and Ashzel Hachero
Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte and Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur have been placed under Comelec control due to a series of election-related violence.
Garcia said a special board of canvassers was also constituted in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in Cotabato.
“The special board of canvassers will be composed of lawyers from the Comelec main office,” he said.
HATOL NG BAYAN 2025
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) yesterday vowed to provide the public with accurate and complete election updates through its “Hatol ng Bayan 2025” program.
Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz on Saturday met with representatives of the different state media to ensure not just a smooth coverage but also a timely and accurate reporting of the elections.
The Hatol ng Bayan 2025 coverage will run from 5 a.m. to to 2 a.m. of May 13. It will be available on government media networks PTV 4, IBC 13, Radyo Pilinas, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine News agency and its digital platforms.
