The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) launched its final report on the 2025 Philippine midterm elections on Thursday, citing several "systemic issues" that continue to undermine the integrity of the country's electoral process.
Among the key concerns raised were the entrenched influence of political dynasties, widespread vote buying, and the misuse of state resources in both urban and rural areas. According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), as of 7 June, there were 722 complaints of vote buying and 999 reported cases of state resource abuse.
"Campaigns were also largely driven by personalities rather than policies. While many voters remained enthusiastic and engaged, there was a prevailing sense of disillusionment, even apathy, with the broader political system," ANFREL pointed out.
Despite these concerns, the group acknowledged the resilience of democratic participation in the country.
"Stakeholders frequently expressed concerns about vote buying, dynastic politics, and the absence of substantive policy debates. Despite these frustrations, the commitment to participate in democratic processes remained strong," it added.
ANFREL praised Comelec for showing "strong institutional commitment" through reforms such as new resolutions, extended early voting hours, enhanced accessibility measures, and improved transparency via livestreamed audits and source code reviews. The group also commended Comelec’s proactive communication with local civic groups.
The automated election system, including the Random Manual Audit (RMA), was also deemed successful, with an accuracy rate of 99.997%, which ANFREL said helped boost public trust in the technical aspects of the polls.
Civil society groups such as the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), and the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) were also recognized for their vital roles in voter education, monitoring, and electoral reform.
"ANFREL concludes that while the 2025 elections were generally well-administered, deep-rooted structural challenges continue to compromise the credibility and competitiveness of the electoral process," the report noted.
The group called for long-term reforms in areas such as campaign finance, party-list regulation, and prevention of state resource abuse. It urged continued collaboration between COMELEC, civil society, and political actors to ensure future elections are more inclusive, competitive, and transparent.
ANFREL deployed a team of 21 international observers across 11 regions, supported by a core team of analysts and staff based in Manila. Their monitoring covered the full electoral cycle — from the pre-election period and campaign environment to Election Day and post-election activities.