MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday dispelled the uncertainty of the 2028 elections, saying that preparations are already underway for the highly anticipated elections.
This is what Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia answered when asked to comment on Vice President Sara Duterte’s “prayer” for the 2028 presidential elections to proceed after she announced her intent to run as president.
READ: Sara Duterte impeachment: What you need to know
In a recent interview at The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte was asked if she is ready to become president in 2028. She said that as she is already a “presumptive candidate” after her declaration of intent, “we can only pray that there will be a presidential election in 2028 and it will be honest, orderly, and peaceful.”
In response, Garcia said that the 2028 elections will push through as it is mandated under the 1987 Constitution.
“The 2028 elections will push through and certain to come in the same manner that when we say it’s certain, there is a 300% chance for the certainty of the 2028 elections because the Comelec is very prepared and has been preparing for that,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.
With this, Garcia said that the poll body already completed 50-60% of the preparations for the elections.
Garcia shared that the Comelec held an online vendors’ fair last week, which was participated by local and international potential technology providers for the 2028 automated elections. The poll body earlier postponed the conduct of a physical fair due to the declaration of national energy emergency.
He noted that the online fair is important for the poll body to formulate its terms of reference for the technologies to be used in the elections.
READ: Comelec: Preparations are now underway for 2028 polls
“There are no doubts that the 2028 elections will happen” Garcia said.
Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Maceda earlier said that the poll body started preparing for the elections two years before the actual elections. He said that they will begin the procurement process for the transmission and overseas voting and counting system this year as they are already included in the 2026 budget.
Meanwhile, they will procure automated counting machines next year, as aligned with the 2027 budget. /mr
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