Japan to send observers to help secure integrity of Eleksyon 2025

The Japanese government has vowed to assist Philippine officials in monitoring the national, local, and Bangsamoro elections this year.

This commitment came after Japan donated millions worth of information and communication technology equipment to the Commission on Elections. 

According to Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya, Tokyo will also be sending observers to Manila to ensure the integrity of the polls.

“Manila is a very important partner, and we want to ensure that the conduct of elections will be secured and peaceful, especially the polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Kazuya said in a statement issued Friday.

“Japan will also be sending a group of observers to help maintain the integrity of Philippine elections and assess the conduct of the first online voting in the country,” Kazuya added.

The Philippines will hold its midterm elections on May 12, 2025, while the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls will be conducted on October 13, 2025.

Japan recently handed over 40 Starlink units to the poll body for the national and BARMM elections.

The Japanese government has acknowledged that technology is very significant in ensuring the secured conduct of the elections.

For his part, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its assistance in the coming elections.

Garcia earlier said the transmission devices would be utilized in Comelec offices situated in far-flung areas. He added that for Eleksyon 2025, the poll body has 7,000 Starlink units to be deployed in areas with limited connectivity. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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