The voting period for the 2025 national and local elections has begun, 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 are allowed to vote as early as 5 a.m., while the regular voting hours will run from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.

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, according to a report on GMA News Online.

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 Commission on Elections (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, GMA Integrated News

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

(with reports from Giselle Ombay, GMA Integrated News)