Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 7166)
The main policy is to synchronize elections so that there shall be simultaneous regular elections for national and local officials once every three years.
The President and Vice President shall be elected on the same day every six years starting from the election on the second Monday of May 1992.
They shall be elected by legislative districts with seats apportioned equitably; if equal division is not possible, remaining members are elected in districts with greater population or number of voters.
Campaign periods are ninety days before the election for President, Vice President, and Senators, and forty-five days before the election for Members of the House of Representatives and local officials.
No, certificates of candidacy must be filed personally by the candidate or their duly authorized representative; filing via mail, telegram, or facsimile is not allowed.
Candidates may spend ten pesos per voter for President and Vice President and three pesos per voter for other candidacies (with some allowances), while political parties may spend five pesos per voter for constituencies where they have candidates.
Failure to file constitutes an administrative offense with fines from one thousand to thirty thousand pesos for first offense and up to sixty thousand pesos plus perpetual disqualification for subsequent offenses.
Only regular members or officers of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces, and other government law enforcement agencies deputized by the Commission for election duty, and with proper uniform and in actual performance of duty are authorized to bear firearms.
Candidates may not hire security personnel or bodyguards on their own, but may be assigned police or military protection by the Commission upon application if threat to life or security exists.
Election returns are prepared in multiple copies and distributed to city/municipal board of canvassers, Congress, the Commission, provincial boards, treasurers for public posting, trial court judges, and sealed ballots boxes as specified depending on the election type.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) sitting en banc by majority vote decides on the postponement or failure of elections and calling of special elections.
These cases are allowed and governed by prescribed sections; pre-proclamation cases pending before the Commission are deemed terminated at the beginning of the term but may continue if meritorious or upon Supreme Court order.