A plebiscite for Charter Change within the year or ahead of the May 2025 midterm elections is unlikely, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated that the agency is running out of time to prepare for the 2025 elections. He mentioned that conducting a plebiscite before the end of the year would be challenging due to the tight timeline for the Comelec.
Garcia made these comments in response to calls from some legislators to hold the plebiscite before the scheduled May 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE). He emphasized that the Comelec is obligated to conduct the plebiscite as mandated by Congress.
Discussions are ongoing in the Senate and House of Representatives regarding the possibility of holding a simultaneous plebiscite with the NLE. While the Senate prefers the two activities to be held together, Congress is leaning towards separate conduct.
Garcia assured that the Comelec will abide by the decisions of both houses of Congress. If mandated to hold the plebiscite simultaneously with the NLE, the Comelec is prepared to do so.
In other election-related news, Nearly a million aspiring voters have already registered for the May 2025 NLE, according to Comelec data. The voter registration period will last until September 30, 2024, with the Comelec aiming to attract three million new voters.
Additionally, the Comelec issued a warning against early campaigning for those intending to run in the NLE. Garcia emphasized that candidates should refrain from campaigning upon filing their certificate of candidacy in October to avoid violating election laws. Despite previous challenges with premature campaigning, the Comelec is committed to enforcing the ban until prevented by the Supreme Court.
