OCTA: Most Pinoys think vote-buying still rife; Comelec seeks help
2025 elections: What’s old, new. Graphics by: Samuel Yap
MANILA, Philippines — Most Filipinos think vote-buying will be rife in the upcoming polls, according to a survey by Octa Research. For this reason, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has renewed its call to the public to help stop the malpractice.
The non-commissioned survey released on Thursday shows that 66 percent of Filipinos believe that vote-buying will be widespread in the upcoming polls, while only 34 percent think otherwise.
“Preliminary findings reveal that a majority of Filipino voters perceive vote buying—a form of electoral malpractice—as still widespread, even in the age of automated elections,” OCTA’s statement reads.
OCTA’s survey was conducted from February 22 to 28, 2025, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia acknowledged the survey result.
Garcia also urged the public to report any vote-buying, vowing that the poll body would take swift action.
“That’s why we are asking the public for their help,” Garcia said in an ambush interview at Palacio Del Gobernador
“We need to receive a report so our actions have basis…We will not hesitate to disqualify candidates,” he added.
Previously, Garcia said the Comelec stopped the proclamation of 253 village officials over vote-buying in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
READ: Comelec stops 253 barangay execs from taking office over vote-buying
The Comelec chief said they received 32 vote-buying complaints, mainly from the National Capital Region.
Garcia said the high number of vote-buying reports from Metro Manila is not necessarily because most of it only happens in the region.
“Perhaps it’s because our countrymen are actively reporting here in Metro Manila, since they have easy access here in the Comelec main office,” Garcia said.
“But for those in the province, show that they [politicians] could not do vote buying in your area,” he added.
