Comelec done printing two-thirds of a total of 72 million ballots

SCRUTINY. Technicians inspect a printing machine for ballots and other forms for the 2025 midterm polls at the National Printing Office in Quezon City in this file photo taken on Sept. 24, 2024. PNA / Joan Bondoc

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already breached the two-third mark in printing the 72 million ballots for the midterm polls, its chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Wednesday.

Garcia, in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay briefing, said that 48.5 million, or 68 percent, of the ballots have already been printed.

Meanwhile, he denied an increase in the total number of rejected ballots.

The Comelec resumed the printing of ballots on Jan. 27.

The printing process of Comelec first began on Jan. 6 but it has been delayed three times due to the Supreme Court’s (SC) temporary restraining orders (TRO).

These orders compelled the poll body to add the names of senatorial aspirants it previously declared as nuisance candidates.

READ: Comelec urges printers to lessen defective ballots

On Jan. 14, the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of senatorial aspirant Subair Mustapha.

The printing of over six million ballots already began on Jan. 6 but the Comelec had to discard the printed materials since they did not contain the name of Mustapha.

This instance cost Comelec P132 million in expenses.

The printing of ballots to include the name of Mustapha was supposed to be done on Jan. 22.

But on Jan. 21, the SC issued another TRO, which directed the Comelec to put Norman Mangusin’s name (also known as Francis Leo Marcos) on the ballot.

Last November 2024, the Comelec declared Mangusin a nuisance candidate, reversing the poll body ruling in 2021 when it allowed him to run for 2022 polls.

READ: Two Marcoses on 2025 election ballots as ex-nuisance bet uses stage name

Mangusin, however, later withdrew his Senate bid, leading to the third printing delay.

Because of repeated delays, the Comelec ordered the National Printing Office to help Miru Systems Co. in fulfilling the printing of more than 72 million ballots to be able to make it to the April 14 deadline.

READ: Comelec ‘partially terminates’ contract with election service provider