President Marcos declares May 12 a holiday for elections

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos yesterday declared May 12 as a special non-working holiday nationwide. The declaration is contained in Proclamation No. 878 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by the authority of Marcos.

“There is a need to declare Monday as a special (non-working) holiday to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote,” the declaration read.

The proclamation was signed on Tuesday, following a request from the Commission
 on Elections (Comelec) and some labor groups.
Among the labor groups that supported the call was the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), which urged President Marcos to declare the date a holiday to safeguard the right to vote of approximately 10 million workers.

“Declaring May 12 as a holiday now – rather than later – sends a clear message: that in our democracy, workers’ votes count and their voices matter,” TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said.

The Comelec, on the other hand, had urged the President to declare May 12 a holiday to help ensure high voter turnout.

According to the poll body, there are more than 68 million registered voters in the country. Around 18,000 national and local positions will be contested in this year’s midterm elections.

Election reminders

With only five days left before the May 12 midterm polls, Comelec has released its final reminders for voters across the country.

First, Chairman George Garcia urged voters to prepare a list of chosen candidates and verify the location of their polling precincts in advance.

“Do not just mark with a check or dot. Shade the entire circle. Do not stain your ballot – it might be compromised,” Garcia said in Filipino.

Comelec also advised the public not to accept sample ballots or offers of free rides and meals from candidates, as these constitute vote buying and are considered criminal offenses.

Voters are not required to bring a pen, though an identification card may be presented for verification. While cell phones are allowed, taking photos of the ballot, the vote counting machine (VCM) screen or the voting receipt is prohibited.

“Do not take pictures just for Facebook. Let us respect the solemnity of the voting process while inside. Behave in the precinct, because you may be reported by watchers, included in the minutes and possibly sued,” Garcia added.

Wearing campaign apparel with candidate names or images inside polling precincts is not allowed.

After voting, Garcia encouraged the public to return home immediately to avoid overcrowding. Elderly voters, persons with disabilities and heavily pregnant women will be allowed to vote earlier, from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.

To further accommodate voters, Comelec has also designated select malls as polling places.

Internet voting extended

To allow more overseas Filipinos to participate in the upcoming midterm elections, the Comelec has also extended the enrollment period for internet voting until May 10, moving the deadline from the original May 7 cutoff.

The extension was granted upon the request of the Office for Overseas Voting. Comelec also ordered the creation of 10 additional user accounts for the Overseas Voting and Counting System (OVCS) to expedite the approval of pending enrollment applications.

“This is in consideration of the expected influx of applications at or near the deadline, which will not become less than two days from the close of the voting,” the Commission said.

Garcia said the move aims to accommodate more Filipinos intending to vote online.

“In order to accommodate our countrymen who have not yet enrolled for internet voting,” Garcia said in Filipino.

So far, over 200,000 Filipinos abroad have enrolled for online voting. Those who fail to enroll will not be able to cast their votes.

Fake Comelec agents

Amid the preparations for the upcoming polls, three individuals were arrested in Santa Cruz, Laguna for impersonating Comelec officers and attempting to inspect automated counting machines (ACMs).

Identified only as Noli, Joel and Jose, the suspects arrived at Silangan Elementary School at around 4:41 p.m. on Monday.

They claimed to be from the Comelec main office and presented an identification card indicating their alleged affiliation with Task Force Kontra Bigay, according to Calabarzon police spokesperson Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran.

The suspects, who are residents of Barangay Salvacion in Quezon City, were seen taking photos of the ACMs, prompting school officials to alert the local police.

When police officers led by municipal police chief Lt. Col. Mark Julius Rebanal verified the trio’s identities with the Comelec provincial office, they confirmed the individuals were not connected to the poll body.

The suspects are currently detained at the municipal police station and face charges of usurpation of authority.

Garcia condemned the incident and praised the swift action of the authorities.

“We will not tolerate such actions, especially when there are reports that they allegedly have the means to rig the elections – as long as they are paid millions,” Garcia said in Filipino.

He stressed the importance of understanding the suspects’ motive for approaching the machines before their official deployment, adding that no deployment from the Comelec main office is conducted without coordination with local field offices.

Comelec also issued a stern warning against the spread of disinformation aimed at disrupting the elections.

“The Commission on Elections reminds everyone that spreading fake news, attempting to cause chaos during the elections and threatening Filipino voters have no place in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections,” the Commission stated.

Garcia also confirmed that a personnel checker from F2 Logistics Philippines Inc. died in a vehicular accident while returning to Cagayan de Oro after delivering election paraphernalia to Bukidnon.

“A truck fell into a ravine on the way back. It happened in Upper Puerto, Cagayan de Oro. One F2 staff member died,” Garcia reported in Filipino.

PNP ready

Expecting more incidents to occur during the poll, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil ordered yesterday the full mobilization of police personnel and resources across the country.

The deployment is set to begin on Thursday, May 8, with officers assigned to secure polling centers, critical infrastructure and other high-priority locations.

Marbil issued the directive as part of the PNP’s intensified security measures to protect voters ahead of the May 12 elections.

During a command conference at Camp Crame yesterday, Marbil laid out the final operational timeline for election-related deployments and emphasized the importance of discipline among personnel.

“As we enter the final stretch, I urge every member of the PNP to stay focused, upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity,” he said in a statement.

Beginning Friday, May 9, the PNP will also ramp up enforcement of Kontra Bigay, the campaign against vote-buying and other electoral violations.

With the campaign period ending on Sunday, May 11, Marbil said the police will strictly implement bans on further campaigning and on the sale and consumption of alcohol.

He reminded officers of the 235,000-strong police force to remain nonpartisan and maintain public order throughout the election period.

“We must remain apolitical. Let us show the Filipino people that the PNP can be trusted – visible, impartial and fully committed to ensuring a peaceful election,” he said.

Marbil also warned that any form of political bias or involvement among police officers will be met with disciplinary action, instructing field commanders to monitor their personnel closely.

“Our accountability as officers does not end with deployment. We are expected to uphold the non-partisan mandate of the PNP at all times,” he said. –  Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas