by: Alice Sicat
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — With just 61 days to go before the 2025 National and Local Elections, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson George Irwin Garcia assured the public that preparations are on track, highlighting progress in ballot printing, voter education, and security measures against election-related violence and vote-buying.
During the Kapihan sa Makati forum on Thursday, March 13, Garcia reported that 96% of the ballots have been printed, with the remaining expected to be completed by the end of the night or by Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the training of electoral board members is set to be completed by early next week.
“We are ahead of our predicted timeline, and we are ensuring that all aspects of the election process are ready,” Garcia said.
COMELEC also confirmed that the Overseas Voting System (OVS) has been delivered and will be deposited at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on March 24. The system awaits certification from international auditing bodies, which is expected before the end of the month.
For the first time, overseas voters will have the option to vote online. Out of 93 foreign posts, 17 locations, including China and Russia, will still require in-person voting due to local restrictions. Pre-enrollment for online voting begins on March 20 and runs until April 7.
To prevent technical issues, 110,000 repair hubs have been set up nationwide—an unprecedented increase from previous elections. Each municipality will have contingency voting machines available to replace malfunctioning units immediately.
Crackdown
Garcia reaffirmed COMELEC’s commitment to combating vote-buying and election-related violence, emphasizing the need for public cooperation in reporting irregularities.
“We need the people’s help. Even a simple photo can serve as evidence to take action,” Garcia said. He also cited GCash’s pledge to block vote-buying transactions and ensure campaign finance transparency.
Additionally, COMELEC is working with various stakeholders, including schools, religious groups, and civic organizations, to intensify voter education efforts. The commission remains concerned about low voter turnout, particularly among the youth, who comprise 35-40% of registered voters.
Accessible voting
Addressing concerns about accessibility, Garcia assured that voting centers will be adjusted for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Emergency Accessible Polling Places (EAPPs) will be available on the ground floor, eliminating the need for voters with mobility issues to climb stairs. Special voting hours from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM will also be allotted for senior citizens to prevent long waiting times in extreme heat.
Reliable elections
Garcia dismissed concerns about the security of the vote-counting machines, stating that the system is offline and protected by multiple firewalls. He emphasized that results will be publicly posted and verified before transmission, ensuring transparency.
“Our machines are independent, standalone units. Every vote cast will be counted exactly as it was entered,” he said.
With the national and local elections scheduled for May 12, 2025, and preparations for the Bangsamoro Parliament and Barangay-SK elections later in the year, COMELEC remains focused on delivering an orderly and credible electoral process.
Kapihan sa Makati is an online media forum by Top News Asia with PIA- National Capital Region (PIA-NCR), hosted by PIA-NCR Emver P. Cortez and Andrea Therese Nicolas. (AVS / PIA-NCR)
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