Voters wait for their turn at the Laoag Central Elementary School on Monday (May 12, 2025). The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said the long voting lines early in the morning on May 12 indicate that Filipinos were eager to vote for this year’s national and local elections. (PNA photo by Leilanie Adriano)
The long lines seen at polling stations early on the morning of May 12 reflect a strong voter turnout and enthusiasm among Filipinos during this year’s national and local elections, according to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
In a Monday afternoon interview, PPCRV spokesperson Ana Singson said their team observed unusually long queues as early as 8 a.m., marking a shift from previous elections.
“In past years, early morning lines were rare. Typically, we’d see long queues in the afternoon, between 2 to 4 p.m. But this time, people showed up early,” Singson explained.
“That shows us Filipinos are excited to vote. It’s encouraging to see people arriving early to cast their ballots.”
Singson also praised the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for its commitment to transparency.
“There’s been a strong push for transparency this year. The automated counting machines now transmit results directly to our servers,” she noted.
Singson added that partial and unofficial results were expected to begin arriving around 7:30 p.m. on May 12.
“We’re anticipating that the results might come in faster this time,” she said, citing improvements in technology. She pointed out that remote areas, which in the past were slow to transmit data, may benefit this year from enhanced connectivity through 5G networks and Starlink satellite systems.