MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that 66 candidates will compete for 12 senatorial seats in the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections, moving forward without any temporary restraining orders from the Supreme Court.

According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia confirmed the finalized list of senatorial candidates after excluding 117 individuals who were deemed nuisance candidates. Garcia explained that the candidates’ names would appear in alphabetical order on the ballot. The commission plans to print approximately 73 million ballots over a 77-day period, starting January 6 and concluding by April 14, ensuring the ballots reach municipalities and cities by early May.

Garcia detailed the adjusted timeline for printing the ballots, which allows Comelec additional time to address unresolved nuisance candidate cases. With the aid of service provider Miru Systems and its two printers, the commission aims to produce 1.1 million ballots per day. Garcia note
d that 80 percent of local nuisance cases have been resolved, providing a clearer path toward the elections.

In total, 43,033 candidates have submitted their certificates of candidacy for various national and local positions in the May 12, 2025 polls.