By Rosemarie Zamora
Two weeks into the elections, millions of Filipinos are set to cast their votes to elect new leaders in national and local positions for the midterm elections.
The midterm elections in the Philippines are held every three years, where Filipino voters elect 12 senators, all members of the House of Representatives, including party-list representatives, and local government officials.
How does the Philippines prepare for the midterm elections?
As early as last year, the government was all out in preparing for the safe and fair conduct of the elections.
On January 12, 2025, the government declared the start of the election period and started implementing a gun ban.
Under Resolution No.11067, Comelec prohibits any person from carrying firearms outside their residence or place of business unless authorized by the Commission.
In order to ensure a safe election across the country, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has announced that it will raise its alert status to “Blue” from May 11 to 14.
“Blue Alert” means half of the agency’s disaster response force is placed on standby, ready to respond to any emergency.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) launched a 100-day security plan to address potential threats, dismantle private armed groups, and maintain order before, during and after the elections.
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Preparations for the automated election
Last year, Comelec announced its partnership with South Korean firm Miru Systems Company Ltd as the winning bidder for the PHP18.8-billion FASTrAC (Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count) project for the May 2025 automated elections.
Under the partnership, the firm will supply the hardware for the elections, including 110,000 automated counting machines, laptops, ballot boxes and ballots.
Along with the machines, there is also a 13-inch screen for voters to verify their votes and an attached receptacle for election receipts.
International observers to monitor elections
In order to ensure the fair conduct of elections, nearly 200 international observers will monitor the midterm elections.
Nearly 200 observers from the European Union will be deployed in the Philippines for the elections.
While in the Philippines, the EU’s Election Observation Mission (EOM) will observe the accuracy, security, and transparency of the voting, counting, and tabulation of the automated counting machines.
The Philippines is now all set for the midterm elections.
It is every Filipino’s right to cast their vote and make their vote count.
When every eligible citizen participates, the democratic process becomes more representative, more just, and more reflective of the people’s will.
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