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 News

MANILA — The Comelec announced it will be able to restart the printing of ballots at the National Printing Office in Quezon City on Friday afternoon.

In an advisory, the poll body also said it will also be able to upload the updated ballot faces to the Comelec’s official website starting Thursday evening.

Comelec: Printing of updated ballots to proceed 'at all costs' on Jan. 25

The commission has completed the generation of the updated ballot faces and the serialization of ballots have been completed. The updated ballots will include the latest names that the Supreme Court ordered added.

The Comelec also said the inventory of previously printed ballots and ballot paper trimmings has wound down while the trusted build of the automated elections system has been successfully conducted by international certification entity Pro V&V of Alabama, USA.

The commission earlier said it will use four printers at the NPO alongside two provided by supplier Miru to print 1.5 million ballots a day and cope with “shortened printing timeline in view of the suspension" caused by Temporary Restraining Orders issued by the SC.

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Comelec Chairman George Garcia meanwhile said he disagrees with suggestions to put all names of disqualified candidates with pending appeals on the ballot.

He said only a Supreme Court TRO can keep the Comelec from executing its decisions, which include determining who the qualified candidates are. 

He said putting the names of aspirants Comelec has already disqualified “will create a dangerous precedent that, in the future, all candidates who will be declared nuisance, candidacies cancelled or disqualified will invoke our action today to maintain their names in the ballots."

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

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