Comelec to resume ballot printing today ‘at all costs’

MANILA, Philippines — After several deferments, the printing of official ballots for the May 2025 midterm elections is finally resuming today at 10 a.m. at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City.

“We are decided to push through with the printing of ballots at all costs,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia said the Comelec can no longer afford any more delay in the printing of the official ballots after being stalled for over three weeks.

“We are out of time. This is already a self-imposed deadline,” the poll chief stressed.

As of yesterday, Garcia said all the ballot faces are available at the Comelec’s website.

Last week, the Comelec completed the trusted build of the automated counting machines and the generation of ballot faces, but had to postpone the resumption of ballot printing until today after another senatorial candidate withdrew from the race.

To ensure the timely completion of the ballot printing, the commission approved a resolution deputizing the NPO for the printing of official ballots for the midterm elections and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary election. The NPO will provide equipment, systems, consumables and manpower among other necessary materials for the printing of the ballots.

The Comelec is targeting to print 1.5 million ballots daily to recoup lost time arising from the delays.

Meanwhile, the Comelec also reported that 379 people, including three foreigners, have been arrested nationwide for gun ban violations.

The poll body said 383 firearms and explosives have been confiscated. Up to 98,755 Comelec checkpoints were established to implement the election gun ban.