Workers conduct the the Final Testing and Sealing of ballots and other paraphernalia at the National Printing Office, North Diliman, Quezon City on January 15, 2025. The Commission on Elections has suspended the printing of ballots for the May elections to give way to the inclusion of names of five candidates rejected earlier by the Comelec but ordered reinstated by the Supreme Court. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Monday said the printing of ballots will be restarted on Wednesday after updating the election management system and ballot faces to include the names of those that received relief from the Supreme Court (SC). 

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“At all cost, we have to print the ballots whether it is in the morning, whether it is in the afternoon Wednesday... Mukhang nade-delay na tayo nang nade-delay, at mukhang yung timeline namin unti-unti nang mauubos at therefore bandang huli mauubos na rin ang pasensya ng sabayanan,” Garcia said.

The Comelec en banc will deputize the National Printing Office to expedite the printing process, allowing the bypass of certain steps such as the need for contracts, according to Garcia.

The poll body may have to adjust the deadline for the printing of the ballots to late April.

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“Mas mabilis po kami dahil po merong mga dapat na proseso pwede namin ma-bypass, basta legal, pwede po natin pabilisin,” he said.

Garcia thumbed down suggestions to place Subair Mustapha at the end of the list of senatorial candidates in the printed ballots, saying it will violate the law and equal protection.

He also rejected suggestions to include in the ballot the names of aspirants with pending appeals before the Supreme Court.

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Garcia proposed instead that the filing of COC be moved earlier to July for the 2028 elections to allow more time for the poll body and Supreme Court to resolve disqualification cases before ballots are printed.

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But doing so may entail changes in the calendar, including moving the dates for voter registration.

"Pero siguro po walang masama kung imo-move natin nang mas maaga ang filing ng certificates of candidacy para naman ma-exercise ng Comelec nang tama ang kanyang kapangyarihan at ng Mataas na Hukuman ang kanyang kapangyarihan,” Garcia said.

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Asked what the Comelec will do if more TROs are issued when ballots have already been printed, Garcia said:

“Bilang paggalang sa Supreme Court lahat po ng paraan gagawin natin para mag comply. Kaya lang po meron at merong panahon na maaaring hindi na makatugon ang Comelec sa ipag-uutos sa atin. Kung ano po yung tamang panahon na yan later na po natin sasabihin," he said.

The poll body today conducted a trusted build of the automated counting machine and is expected to finalize and generate new ballots faces by Tuesday.

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit the ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.

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