Comelec chief to voters: Participate in polls, democracy is at stake

The Commission on Elections, represented by its Chairman George Erwin Garcia, and over 50 election partners from the media and other organizations on Monday, Nov. 11,  2024, signed a memorandum of agreement with GMA Network for the 2025 elections coverage.

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia has urged voters to participate in the 2025 elections and reminded them that genuine democracy involves the participation of the entire Filipino nation.

“You know, when it comes to democracy, it can’t be just one sector. When democracy is at stake, an entire country, a whole nation is involved. And because of that, our survival is at stake,” Garcia said in Filipino in an interview on Monday.

As of October 31, the Comelec recorded over 68.6 million registered voters for the 2025 national and local polls and the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

READ: Comelec: Registered voters for 2025 elections now over 68.6 million

Garcia also reiterated his call for everyone’s support in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the importance of combating disinformation to ensure the integrity of the democratic process.

“Elections require the support of everyone, especially our colleagues in the media, especially those who deliver the truth and accurate news. That is our advocacy, that we should only present what is true,” he said in Filipino.

On Monday, the Comelec and over 50 election partners from the media, academe, telecommunications, and socio-civic sectors signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with GMA Network for the 2025 elections coverage.

According to GMA Network Chief Executive Officer and President Gilberto Duavit Jr., the partnership serves as a crucial avenue to strengthen election coverage in the country, especially in light of the challenges posed by disinformation in recent years.

“As a coalition of the most trusted organizations in our respective fields, we come together once again to deliver an election coverage that is not only the most comprehensive, but also conforms to the highest standards of honesty and integrity in a manner beyond reproach,” Duavit said during the MOA signing.

The Inquirer Group of Companies is among the signatories of the election coverage partnership, represented by INQUIRER.net Editor-in-Chief Abelardo Ulanday and Philippine Daily Inquirer Associate Publisher Juliet Javellana.

READ: INQUIRER.net partners with GMA Network in Eleksyon 2025 coverage