MANILA — Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia sees the 2025 midterm elections as an opportunity for Comelec to improve its capabilities and prepare for the 2028 presidential elections.

Political organizations can also use the midterm polls as a vehicle to strengthen their force, Garcia added.

On at ANC “Headstart”, University of the Philippines’ Political Science Professor Aries Arugay defined the midterm elections as a “referendum” of the people’s perception to a sitting administration.

Even if the administration controls the machinery, the said camp should still double its effort to consistently get the people’s support, Arugay said.

Former senator Joey Lina who served in the Senate during the Cory Aquino administration, on the other hand, sees the midterm elections differently, as compared to their years of service then.

“Dati, barometer yung midterm election kasi those who are allied or aligned with the administration, kung maganda ang record nung nasa administration, nadadala yung senatorial candidates,” Lina said at the weekly “Kapihan sa Manila Prince Hotel” forum.

“Pero nowadays, because of social media, the people, the voters are more focused on the individuals rather than on the administration... yung halo effect ng administration, nagdi-dim ng nagdi-dim as the years went by,” Lina added.

Dr. Herminio Coloma, who was the Benigno Aquino III administration’s communications secretary, on the other hand said that those who have the upper hand during midterm elections, are those camps with organized operation. 

“Meron ding factor dyan yung gaano ba ka-organisado yung mga nasa kapangyarihan. Gaano ba ka-organisado yung mga naghahangad na maging nasa kapangyarihan sila... sa aking palagay ang nagiging matimbang na factor na rin dyan, kung anong, the power of persuasion,” Coloma said.

VOTERS CAN QUESTION COC FILERS’ CREDIBILITY

Garcia meantime reminded voters to remain vigilant and be courageous in filing a disqualification complaint against aspirants misrepresenting themselves.

The complaint against any national or local aspirant can be filed “5 to 25 days” upon the conclusion of the COC filing period, Garcia said. 

When the campaign period starts next year, any registered voter can also file a disqualification case against any candidate who they will find to be corrupting or bribing voters.

The complaint can be filed in any Comelec office, along with the copy of the candidate’s filed COC and evidence gathered against the aspirant, Garcia said.

“Ngayon kahit ang issue ng vote-buying... ngayon kahit picture lang inaaksyunan na namin. Nagi-isyu na kami ng show cause order. We weaponize show cause order. At kung may makikita kaming probable cause, ipa-file namin yung kaso,” Garcia said.

There are over 18,000 elective positions that are up for grabs in next year’s elections, which many aspirants see as their best way to serve the people.

Up for grabs on the May 12, 2025 elections are the following positions:

- 12  Senator

- 254  Congressman

-  63  Party-list representative

-  82  Governor

-  82  Vice governor 

- 792  Member, Sangguniang Panlalawigan

- 1,582  Member, Sangguniang Panlungsod

-  11,948  Member, Sangguniang Bayan

- 149  City Mayor

- 149  City Vice Mayor

- 1,493  Municipal Mayor

- 1,493  Municipal Vice Mayor

- 40  Nominee of a political party in BARMM 

- 25  BARMM Parliament District Representative

But the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) period from October 1 to 8 will not pass without many aspirants’ effort in marking their entry in politics.

For years, the public has been seeing aspirants staging a grand march, a festival-like celebration, and other political gimmicks to mark their COC filing day.

Come May 12 – election day -- registered voters 18 years old and above will have the opportunity to vote their preferred  12 senators, a congressman, a party-list representative, and local executives.

Those in the provinces will also vote members of their Provincial Board and City Council.

Voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) meanwhile, will have a second ballot for the first BARMM Parliamentary elections.

Unlike in the election for the national and local positions, the BARMM Electoral Code strictly bans political dynasties and turncoats in their regional elections.

Winning candidates who will eventually change their political affiliation will automatically lose their BARMM seat.

WHO CAN RUN, WHERE TO FILE? 

Those aspiring to be a senator must be at least 35 years old. A congressman wannabe must be 25 years old, while age requirements for those gunning for local positions vary.

But regardless of the position they are eyeing, all political aspirants must be born in the Philippines, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines who can read and write.

Garcia meanwhile stressed that while voters will be given a long list of candidates when they vote, they still have the final say if they want to fully accomplish their ballot or not.

What’s important, according to Garcia, is they vote.

“Sa mga botante, pagkakataon din kasi kung nakikita nila na ang ihahalal nila ay pang-presidente pala, o para sa mas mataas na posisyon, pupwede na nilang ihalal para sa darating pang eleksyon. Tamang pamimili in preparation to a higher position,” Garcia said.

(Voting also gives voters a chance to determine if the candidate that they are voting can be a president someday, or deserve a higher position in the next electoral exercuses. It’s choosing the right candidate in preparation to a higher postion)

COC FILING DRAMA 

At the Manila Hotel’s Tent City where senatorial aspirants and party-list groups will be filing their COC, only a maximum of three companions per aspirant will be allowed access inside.

Only four party-list group representatives are allowed to enter the COC filing area, Garcia said.

Congressional and local executive bets meantime, can file their COC at local Comelec offices.

But whatever these aspirants do inside the filing center to advance their political ambition, the Comelec cannot stop or charge them, because the campaign period for national positions will only start in February, while local bets can only be formally considered as “candidates” in March, Garcia said.

Aspirants are also free to bring throngs of supporters or hold festive-like activities outside the venue if they want to, Garcia said.

The October 1 to 8 COC filing period will also cover the withdrawal of candidacy or filing for substitution thereby ending some candidates’ drama as late-filers, Garcia said.