In historic speed, Comelec to finish official tally in 3 days

The Commission on Elections, serving as the National Board of Canvassers, holds its second day of officially tallying the votes in the midterm elections at the Manila Hotel Tent City on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. — Photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The official tallying of votes in automated polls used to take a couple of weeks, but the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is expected to take only three days. This historic move may lead to an early proclamation of senatorial race winners.

In an update as of Wednesday night, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said that the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), which is currently stationed at the Manila Hotel Tent City, has officially tallied 159 out of 175 certificates of canvass (COCs).

The NBOC receives and tallies results from the COCs, or the aggregated, final, and official count of votes used as the basis for the winners of the senatorial and party-list races.

1st, 2nd days done in record speed

The first day of the NBOC’s canvassing on Tuesday yielded 58 COCs, while the second day led to 101 finished COCs, according to Comelec.

READ: Comelec eyes finishing official vote tally for 2025 polls on May 15

Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said the canvassed COCs on the first and second day after the May 12 polls were already record-breaking.

“Before, back when I was still in practice, there were days when nothing was canvassed because no COCs had arrived yet,” Garcia, a veteran election lawyer, pointed out in a press conference on Wednesday.

3rd day canvassing a cakewalk

Only 16 COCs are yet to be canvassed, and Laudiangco said the NBOC is expected to course through it on Thursday.

READ: Comelec on track for fastest canvass ever with 16 COCs left — spox

“Yes,” Laudiangco told reporters when asked if the canvassing is expected to be finished on Thursday.

“All are expected to be received today,” he said of the remaining 16 COCs.

The Comelec is so confident that it could finish the canvassing on Thursday that the NBOC will only reconvene at 2 p.m. The NBOC typically resumes its canvassing at 10:00 a.m.

New standard

Garcia expressed hope that the speedy canvassing of official results will become a standard in the upcoming elections.

“What we are trying to do is to lay down certain standards, not to pressure the next commission,” Garcia said on Wednesday.

However, Garcia said it needs to be ensured that the integrity of the results should not be compromised by the speedy process.

“What is the use of fast [canvassing] when its results will not be believed?” Garcia said in Filipino. “So it needs to be fast and trustworthy at the same time.” /das/abc