MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to hold mock polls in 30 barangays across the country on Saturday, January 25.
According to Comelec Spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, the activity would be conducted so they could assess their automated election system (AES) preparations for the May 2025 polls.
“The mock elections is an activity that aims to stimulate the end-to-end voting process,” he said in a telephone interview.
Actual registered voters will be participating in the activity from 7 to 10 a.m.
“This is not a simple exercise but is done in compliance and adherence to the law by the Comelec,” Laudiangco added.
Under Republic Act 9369, the conduct of mock elections is one of the requirements by the Technical Evaluation Committee before issuing its certification that the AES is operating properly, securely, and accurately.
In Metro Manila, the venues of the mock polls are Barangays San Pedro and Sta. Ana in Pateros; Ususan and Pinagsama in Taguig City; and 1st District Barangay Poblacion and Pio del Pilar in Makati City.
Other sites in Luzon are Barangays Poblacion and Guinaang in Bontoc province and Poblacion and Angkeling in Sagada in Mt. Province; Dela Paz and San Juan villages in Antipolo City; and Special District and Bagumbong in Jala-Jala, Rizal province.
In the Visayas, the venues for the activity are Barangays Taboc and San Gabriel in Borongan City and Poblacion 9 and Masloc in Lawaan, Eastern Samar province.
The mock elections in Mindanao will be done in Barangays Washington and San Isidro in Surigao City and Poblacion and Guinaang in Placer town, Surigao del Norte province.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will also hold its mock polls in Barangays Walled City and Bus-bus in Jolo and Taglibi and Anuling in Patikul in Sulu province; and Batulawan and Fort Pikit in Malidegao and Pedtad and Tamped in Old Kaabakan in the Special Geographic Area.
Meanwhile, the poll body has set the Local Absentee Voting (LAV) for the May 2025 polls on April 28 to 30.
Under Resolution No. 11091, the Comelec set the LAV for three days and will be open to government officials and employees, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as members of the media.
“All government officials and employees, including members of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines; and members of the media and media practitioners, including their technical and support staff, who are temporarily assigned to perform election duties or cover/report on the conduct of elections, may avail Local Absentee Voting for the 2025 national and local elections,” the resolution read.
The LAV is a voting system that allows qualified individuals, who are assigned to perform election duties on Election Day, to cast their votes ahead of the general public. They are allowed to vote for the positions of senators and party-list organizations.
For government officials and employees, and members of the AFP and PNP, they may file their applications before their heads of offices/supervisors/commanders/officers next-in- rank.
As for the media, their LAV applications may be filed at the Office of the Regional Election Director – National Capital Region for those in Metro Manila; Office of the City Election Officer for independent cities outside Metro Manila; and Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor for areas not mentioned above.
Applications may be filed not later than March 7, 2025.
There were a total of 84,358 registered LAV voters in the May 2022 polls. Of the number, a total of 74,846 actually voted for a voter turnout of 88.72 percent. (PNA)