Comelec: Officials’ election talks won’t affect preparations for 2028

MANILA, Philippines — Any pronouncements made by the president and vice president of the country in relation to elections will not influence the preparations of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the 2028 national and local elections, a Comelec commissioner said on Wednesday.

This is what commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. answered when asked if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements for the 2028 elections will affect the poll body’s conduct of elections. 

“The Comelec is an independent Constitutional body. The pronouncements whether, you know, done by a major declaration of the vice president or if the president was asked, we are going to continue to do our job,” Maceda said in Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum. 

“Amidst all the political noise, what I am saying is that, we’re already preparing even if the previous elections had not concluded yet,” Maceda added.

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In an interview with broadcaster Rico Hizon during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Editors and Economic Opinion Leaders Forum on Tuesday, Marcos said that his successor must be someone who understands economics, adding that the candidate should be someone who is “actually thinking about not politics, but how to make the country better.”

While he did not disclose any names, Marcos said that his administration and political allies have been talking to potential presidential candidates but some already declined. Talks about possible political alliance sparked following Marcos’ visit to former presidential rival Leni Robredo in Naga City, however, they both dismissed the speculations. 

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte has already announced her presidential bid for the 2028 elections amid the four impeachment complaints filed against her. She also said that she had recruited her runningmate last year, but declined to name the personality. 

As Maceda acknowledged the “highly partisan” nature of elections, which he said “may cause some people to feel na there is too much political noise happening,” he said that  the poll body will continue to do its job.

“We’re making sure that before the anticipated explosion happens, our structures and processes are in place as early as now. So that the trust of the people on what your choice is going to be in 2028 ay hindi maapektuhan,” Maceda noted. 

With this, the Comelec commissioner shared that the poll body will begin its procurement process of transmission and overseas voting and counting system this year while it will procure automated counting machines next year. /mr