Hanoi (VNA) – Millions of Filipino voters are heading to the polls for midterm elections, which will elect more than 18,000 leadership positions from the national to local levels.
About 163,000 police officers have been deployed nationwide to ensure security at polling stations, in coordination with the military, fire brigades and other support units. In addition, the government has extended the early voting period for the elderly and people with disabilities, starting at 5 am on May 12.
This year's midterm elections will not only shape the congressional and local government landscape in the Philippines for the next three years, but also create an important premise for the 2028 presidential election. In particular, the results of the Senate election will decide the political fate of Vice President Sara Duterte who is still considered a potential candidate for the presidency, if she survives impeachment.
Although not on the ballot, both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte play a central role in this election through the list of candidates they support. Vice President Sara Duterte - the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte - was once a close ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but has now become a fierce political rival.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, the Netherlands, while awaiting trial by the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to his anti-drug campaign. However, Duterte is still on the ballot in Davao city – the political stronghold of the Duterte family – with the goal of regaining the mayor’s seat. Some local surveys predict he will win overwhelmingly./.
