The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is in the final stages of preparation for the 2025 midterm elections, with Chairman George Erwin Garcia announcing that the poll body is "more or less 90-95% ready" for the 12 May midterm elections.

In an interview with dzBB on Sunday, Garcia assured the public that COMELEC is on track to ensure an orderly and credible election. “Pero marami pang dapat asikasuhin, mga gusot na dapat ayusin,” he admitted, underscoring the remaining tasks in the lead-up to election day.

The local campaign period for #Eleksyon2025 has commenced without any major disruptions, Garcia reported. However, he urged candidates to properly plan their campaign activities, particularly motorcades, to prevent traffic congestion.

“May ilang lugar, lalo na nung Friday (28 March), naistorbo ang traffic dahil sa mga sasakyan na lumalabas, mga taga-suporta na nagwe-welcome sa kanilang mga sinusuportahang kandidato. Ang pakiusap natin sa mga kandidato, sana planuhing mabuti ang kanilang gagawing motorcade,” he said.

Crackdown on vote buying

With the campaign period in full swing, COMELEC is intensifying its efforts to prevent vote buying. Garcia warned that both the buyer and the recipient of vote buying money will face legal consequences, with penalties ranging from one to six years in prison.

To combat digital vote buying, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has issued a directive to financial institutions and online payment platforms, prohibiting them from being used for election-related fund transfers that could be linked to vote buying.

Furthermore, COMELEC has established presumptions to strengthen enforcement. “Gumawa kami ng presumptions... Halimbawa, may dalang indelible ink ang isang tao, isang araw bago ang eleksyon nahuli siya may kasamang mga election paraphernalia, ipe-presume namin na engaged sa vote buying...” Garcia explained.

Security measures in high-risk areas

With election-related violence a major concern, COMELEC is bolstering security in red-category areas, particularly in the Bangsamoro region and Maguindanao. Garcia confirmed that additional personnel have been deployed to 36 high-risk areas, along with increased checkpoints to curb loose firearms and dismantle private armed groups.

The poll body is also considering placing certain areas under COMELEC control following the recent assassination of an election officer and his spouse in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

“Kahit ano pa ang deklarasyon ng iba, ang sabi namin, 'yan ay election related. Sa panahon na ito na kapag ang namamatay, nasasaktan ay local COMELEC namin, walang ibang konklusyon kundi 'yan ay election related violence,” Garcia asserted.

Despite these concerns, he noted that election-related violence remains lower than in previous elections, with only 27 recorded incidents since October 2024 — fewer than in 2019 and 2022.

COMELEC has ramped up preemptive actions, including setting up more checkpoints and increasing police and military patrols in potential hotspots. While the agency nears full readiness, Garcia acknowledged that further refinements are needed before 12 May.