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The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has advised the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to assess the risk of its plan to post pictures of voters next to their names on voters’ lists outside polling precincts on Election Day on May 12, 2025.
Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga told Comelec Chair George Garcia that the poll agency’s initiative “should be subjected to a thorough risk assessment.”
“Comelec shall guarantee that the processing of information is adequate, relevant, suitable, necessary and not excessive in relation to a declared and specified purpose,’’ Naga said in a June 11 letter to Garcia.
As controller of personal information, Comelec should conduct “a judicious evaluation of whether the proposed measure is proportional to their declared purpose,’’ he added.
Inside the precinct, there’s already a computerized voters’ list that includes the voter’s specimen signature and photo. This will be used by an electoral board for verification.
Garcia had earlier sought NPC’s legal guidance on the proposal, which it said is primarily intended to aid voters in quickly identifying their designated voting locations in a bid to streamline the electoral process.
More than 2.5 million new voters have so far registered for the midterm elections.
Naga said Comelec should also assess if there are other less intrusive ways to do this.
“Personal data shall only be processed if the purpose could not be reasonably fulfilled by any other means. On top of these, the Comelec shall have necessary and appropriate security controls in place,’’ he added.
Naga also said that that Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act should not be used to interfere with the duties and functions of a government agency, including the processing of personal data, for as long as these comply with the law. — TJ Burgonio, PCIJ.org
Comelec releases 2025 calendar
May 31, 2024
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued Resolution No. 10999 setting the election period for the May 12, 2025 midterm elections from Jan. 12, 2025 to June 11, 2025.
During this 150-day period, a gun ban will be enforced throughout the country.
The following actions are also prohibited during this period: suspension of elected local officials from provincial down to barangay level; employment of security personnel by candidates; illegal release of prisoners; issuance of appointments, promotions and creation of new posts in government agencies; and the release, disbursem*nt of spending of public funds without seeking exemption from the Comelec.
Voters may register only up to Sept. 30 this year.
The Comelec set Oct. 1-8 as the period that aspirants for local and national posts may file their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) and for party list groups to file their certificates of nomination and acceptance of nomination.
Substitute candidates have until Oct. 8 to file their CoCs. Substitution is allowed after Oct. 8 and until mid-day of election day only if a candidate is disqualified or dies.
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The Comelec set the 90-day campaign period for national candidates – those seeking seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, including party list posts — from Feb. 11 to May 10, 2025.
Local candidates may campaign for 45 days from March 28 to May 10.
Meanwhile, Filipinos overseas may vote from April 13 to May 12, 2025 while those eligible for local absentee voting – such as members of the police, armed forces and the media – may do so from April 28 to 30.
A liquor ban will take effect on May 11, eve of election day.
The other important dates to remember are as follows:
• Aug. 31, 2024–Last day of “Register Anywhere” Program
• Sept. 1 to 28, 2024–Period for holding political conventions by parties to select or nominate candidates
• June 11, 2025–Last day to file statement of contributions and expenditures
SC directs Comelec, Miru to comment on petition to nullify P17.9-B contract
May 28, 2024
The Philippine Supreme Court has directed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the joint venture that won the P17.9-billion contract for the country’s automated elections next year to comment on a petition seeking to nullify the award.
The SC order released on Monday, May 27, came days after a Comelec announcement that the first 20 automated counting machines (ACMs) supplied by Miru Systems Co. Ltd. passed the hardware acceptance tests (HAT).
South Korean company Miru Systems Co. Ltd. is part of a joint venture that includes the Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc.
The joint venture is expected to supply 110,000 machines for the 2025 elections.
The SC order was based on a petition filed by former Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, who asked the high court to declare the election contract “null and void.” Erice said Comelec should continue to use the vote counting machines that the poll body purchased from Smartmatic, the company that supplied the country’s automated election systems from 2008 to 2022.
Comelec barred Smartmatic from continuing to bid for the country’s election systems on the basis of allegations that it bribed a former chief of the poll body.
Following the disqualification of Smartmatic, the joint venture led by Miru became the sole bidder for the country’s multi-billion election contract.
The SC later reversed Comelec’s decision to disqualify Smartmatic from bidding in its contracts. However, the high court still allowed the poll body to proceed with the election contract.
“The court recognized that to require the Comelec to conduct another round of public bidding would seriously disrupt its preparations for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) and potentially jeopardize the very conduct of the NLE,” the Supreme Court said in a statement.
Erice’s petition was filed after the Supreme Court allowed the contract between Comelec and Miru to proceed. — PCIJ.org
All reelectionist senators vote to oust Zubiri
May 21, 2024
The Philippine Senate changed leadership a year before the 2025 midterm elections, ousting Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate President in favor of Sen. Francis Escudero. The ouster is expected to affect political alignments in next year’s race, which could also shape the presidential elections in 2028.
All reelectionist senators voted to oust Zubiri as Senate President. They include Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa whose investigation into the alleged drug use of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is believed to be among the reasons why Zubiri was removed by “the powers that be.”
Dela Rosa was seen weeping when Zubiri delivered his privilege speech on Monday.
Senators Imee Marcos, sister of the President; Pia Cayetano, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Lito Lapid Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Francis Tolentino also voted to oust Zubiri.
“I think that (their reelection bids) weighed heavily [on their decisions], said a source in the Senate.
LIST: 15 senators who voted to oust Zubiri as Senate President
As in many key decisions that the Philippine legislature makes these days, the vote happened behind closed doors, devoid of transparency.
Escudero will also oversee the passage of the 2025 budget, also known as the “election budget.” Sen. Grace Poe took over as chairman of the committee on finance.
Poe replaced Sen. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who resigned from the position to give the new leadership a free hand to reshuffle committee chairmanships.
“When this institution was under threat, ipinaglaban ni Senate President Zubiri ang ating institution. Ipinaglaban niya ang ating taong bayan doon sa mga gustong solohin ang kapangyarihan,” said Angara. — Carmela Fonbuena, PCIJ.org
Comelec to prohibit substitution of candidates after Oct. 8 filing of COCs
The Commission on Elections will no longer allow the substitution of candidates after the October 8 deadline for the filing of Certificates of Candidacies (COCs) for the May 2025 midterm elections.
“Unanimous po. Pumayag angating Commission en bancsanagingproposal nginyonglingkodna wala nangsubstitution after ng lastday ng filing ng candidacy,which is October 8,kung ang ground aywithdrawal ng candidacy,” said Comelec chairman George Garcia.
(It was a unanimous decision. The Commission en banc approved our proposal to prohibit substitution after the last day of filing of COCs, which is October 8, if it is based on the ground of withdrawal of candidacy).
The prohibition covers candidates who will voluntarily withdraw their COCs. Substitution will still be allowed on the grounds of death or disqualification of the candidates.
It is a decision that will address so-called “placeholders.” These are personalities who file their COCs to keep the posts open for someone else who has yet to decide if he or she will seek an elective position or which position he or she will seek.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte used this route in the 2016 presidential elections, when he substituted for his party-mate Martin Diño. Former Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio also used this route in the 2022 elections, when she substituted for Lakas-CMD candidate Lyle Uy.
“To the candidates, lay your cards on the table, declare it, face it immediately. Don’t rely on substitutions,” Garcia said during the briefing.
Comelec chief George Garcia makes 4 announcements at PCIJ conference
The Comelec has yet to release the calendar of activities for the 2025 elections, but it has announced that the filing for COCs has been scheduled from October 1 to 8.
Garcia also earlier announced that the ban on premature campaigning will take effect as soon as candidates file their COCs in October.
Comelec expects the number of voters to balloon to 71 million in 2025 from 68 million in 2022. The last day of voter registration is scheduled on September 30. — PCIJ.org
One year to go before midterm polls
May 12, 2024
It’s one year to go before the May 2025 midterm elections in the Philippines. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said the poll body is in the “thick of preparations” not just for May 12, 2025 elections but also for the December 5, 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) Elections.
Barring hitches, voters will see a lot of innovations in the upcoming elections. There will be a new provider for the country’s automated election system. Internet voting will become an option for overseas voters.
Comelec will also facilitate mall voting for select voting precincts and early voting for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and “heavily” pregnant women.
The poll body is supposed to complete within the first quarter of 2024 the procurement of software and hardware materials that will be used in next year’s elections. The P18-billion lease contract for a new automated election system was awarded to South Korean firm Miru Systems.
The contract for the electronic transmission of results was awarded separately to the joint venture of iOne Resources Incorporated and Ardent Networks.
Comelec earlier disqualified Smartmatic from bidding for Comelec contracts because of its alleged involvement in a 2016 bribery scheme. Smartmatic served as the country’s election systems provider in five national and local elections, from 2010 to 2022.
The Supreme Court recently reversed the Comelec position, but the high court’s ruling is “prospective in application.”
“Miru will be the one to supply to us the 110,000 machines that we are going to use in the next election. Ang ginawa po ng inyong Commission on Elections, in-unbundle po namin ‘yung software, hardware, ballot boxes, ballot, at printing,” Garcia said during a breakout session at PCIJ’s Third National Conference on Investigative Journalism held on April 30.
Election watchdogs praised Comelec’s “unprecedented transparency” in its preparations for next year’s polls, but they remain “cautious” about the South Korean firm that will replace Smartmatic as the country’s election systems provider — PCIJ.org
Photos by Cindy Aquino for PCIJ
