68 million Filipinos expected to vote as Eleksyon 2025 begins 

The voting period for the 2025 national and local elections has begun Monday, with over 68 million Filipinos based in the country expected to go to their respective voting precincts to exercise their right to vote. 

Senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant women were allowed to vote as early as 5 a.m., while the regular voting hours will run from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.

At least 12 million senior citizens, and 530,000 PWDs are expected to vote during the early voting hours, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said.

Several elderly, PWDs, and pregnant women were already at voting precincts even before 5 a.m. ready to cast their votes.

"Alas-singko ng umaga ito po ay pagpapahayag na sa buong bansa na simula na ang pagboto ng ating mga kababayan lalong-lalo na ang mga nakatatanda at may kapansanan. First time natin itong inilatag sa buong bansa," Garcia told reporters in Silang, Cavite.

(At 5 a.m., voting started nationwide especially for the elderly and those with disability. It is the first time we had this early voting in the whole country.)

"Tayo ay natutuwa dahil alam niyo po kaninang alas dos ng madaling araw, nagsimula nang dumagsa ang mga electoral board members at poll watchers para pasimulan ang paghahanda sa mga kagamitan na gagamitin natin. Pagdako ng 5 a.m., may mga nakatatanda na nandito," Garcia said.

(We are happy because you know at 2 a.m. today, electoral board members and poll watchers started arriving to prepare the materials that will be used. At 5 a.m., there were already senior citizens here.)

In Cebu City, senior citizens, PWDs, and pregnant women started lining up as early as 3:30 a.m. at polling precincts to cast their votes.

Even senior citizens who had difficulty walking did not let their ailment stop them from voting in Mandaue City Central School.

Should senior citizens, PWDs and pregnant women opt to vote during the regular hours, express lanes and priority polling precincts will be allocated for them, the Comelec said.

A total 69,673,655 Filipinos are registered voters for the 2025 midterm elections, of whom 68,431,965 are in the Philippines while 1,241,690 are overseas. 

Overseas voters were allowed to cast their votes from April 13 to May 12, while voting for local absentee voters was from April 28 to 30.

Malacañang has declared May 12, Election Day, a special non-working holiday to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote.

The Comelec, meanwhile, has expressed confidence that the midterm elections will be peaceful and orderly.

As of May 11, election eve, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that strict measures remain in place to ensure a safe and peaceful elections even as no serious threats have been monitored days prior to it. 

A total of 18,320 seats are up for grabs in this year’s national and local elections, according to Comelec. Of them, 12 seats are for senators, 63 are for party-list representatives, and 254 are for House members.

At the local level, 82 vacancies are for governors and vice-governors, 840 for Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, 149 for city mayors and vice-mayors, and 1,493 for municipal mayors and vice-mayors. 

There are also 1,690 seats for Sangguniang Panglungsod members and 11,948 for Sangguniang Bayan members. — BM/KG, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.