The sun rose over Manila at 5 a.m. on Monday as approximately 68 million Filipinos opened their voter IDs and stepped into polling stations across the archipelago. This midterm election has quickly become a proxy showdown between two of the Philippines' most powerful political families: President Ferdinand Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. While neither name appears on the ballot, both leaders have campaigned vigorously for their preferred candidates.
More than 18,000 local and national seats are at stake, including 12 of the 24 Senate seats. These 12 senators will hold the balance of power in any potential impeachment trial against a Duterte-backed ally later this year.
However, the day was not without turmoil. Voters in Negros Occidental province faced gunfire near a polling center in the earliest hours—a tragedy that claimed at least two lives and injured five others.
Security forces have been on high alert since May 3. The Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), alongside the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), deployed quick reaction teams to safeguard polling places and key transit points. Despite these measures, election-related violence has already led to at least 13 deaths and 16 injuries in 35 incidents, according to The Philippine Star.
Polling stations will remain open until 7 p.m., with unofficial results expected shortly after. For digitally connected young voters tracking developments online, this election is about more than seats—it’s a high-stakes test of political influence in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing democracies.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
