By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia assured that the 2025 midterm elections will be transparent, with the poll body already 70 to 75 percent prepared.
Garcia made the statement during a press conference on Friday, September 6, at Veronica Hotel in Pueblo de Panay, Roxas City.
He presented to the media the upgraded Vote Counting Machine (VCM) developed by a Korean technology company, which will be used in the elections.
According to Garcia, the VCM can operate for up to three days without electricity, features less sensitive ballots, and includes a review screen with covers for verifying selected candidates.
Garcia also highlighted that the Miru system, used for the VCM, now has 110 repair shops across the Philippines, compared to just one repair center in previous elections.
“The VCM can transmit partial tallies to multiple servers or agencies and allows voters to check their selections via a QR code,” Garcia emphasized, adding that Starlink Wi-Fi will be used for internet connectivity.
He expressed confidence that the upcoming elections would be peaceful and reassured the public that their votes would count.
“The only modern cancer of society during elections is vote-buying, which is why voters’ education is essential,” Garcia stated.
Meanwhile, the Comelec reiterated that the requirements for filing Certificates of Candidacy (COC) remain unchanged, as the poll body does not have the jurisdiction to add additional conditions.
Garcia noted that a registered voter must file a protest against a candidate for an investigation to be initiated.
He also confirmed that the 2025 midterm elections will proceed as planned, and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will take place in December 2025 unless postponed.
Reports indicated that a proposed bill seeks to establish a fixed six-year term for barangay officials.
