Now, let us be happy. It’s election time again! Let us vote on 12 May 2025 for the right persons for the right positions to save our country as one: forever Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao!

Article I, Section 1: Declaration of Principles and State Policies of the 1987 Constitution states that, “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.”

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is mandated to give life and meaning to the above basic principle that sovereignty resides in us, as the Filipino people, and all government authority, including that in the hands of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Chiz Escudero and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, emanates from us, the Filipino electorate alone!

I urge every Filipino to understand and obey all lawful orders, directives and decisions of the Commission on Elections during the election period. For indeed, if you disobey them, the Comelec can make life difficult for you. Take it from me.

Comelec exercises not only administrative and quasi-judicial powers, but judicial powers as well.

Comelec has the power to recommend to the President the removal of any officer or employee it has deputized, or the imposition of any other disciplinary action, for violation or disregard of, or disobedience to, its directives, orders and decisions.

I cherish to recall that during our time in the Comelec when I was the resident auditor of the Commission on Audit from 1 October 1984 to 1 December 1988, we considered election time as the period for Filipinos to rejoice for it is the only time in their lives that they are the most powerful, the supreme authority, which authority they solemnly bestow on the candidates that they elect to government positions.

Today, the entire nation is rejoicing. President Marcos is in control as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military, whose goal is to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory.

On 12 May 2025, an estimated 68 million Filipino voters will participate in the 2025 midterm elections. They will elect over 18,000 officials: 12 senators, 254 district representatives, 63 partylist representatives and 17,942 governors, provincial board members, mayors and councilors.

The election will also cover parliamentary positions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Here is good news for disqualified candidates. According to the latest reports, as of 14 January 2025, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the disqualification order imposed by the Comelec on five local candidates. The SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the disqualification of former Caloocan representative Edgar Erice who is running for representative of Caloocan City’s 2nd district.

Aside from Erice, other candidates who managed to secure a TRO against their disqualification were Subair Guinthum Mustapha, Charles Savellano, Chito Bulatao Balintay and Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr.

Meanwhile, according to a report on 13 January, simply lacking campaign funds doesn’t make one a nuisance candidate.

The first gun ban violator was arrested in my region, Western Visayas, as the election period started.