ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is reminding all government officials and employees, including members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and media practitioners in Western Visayas that the deadline for filing applications for local absentee voting (LAV) for the May 12, 2025 national and local elections is on March 7, 2025.
In an advisory posted on Comelec-Iloilo City’s official Facebook page, the commission emphasized that LAV voting will take place on April 28, 29, and 30, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
LAV is a system that allows government officials, employees, AFP and PNP members, and media workers to cast their votes for national positions, such as senators and party-list representatives, in areas where they are not registered voters but are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on Election Day. This also applies to media personnel who will not be able to vote due to their coverage and reporting duties.
Who Can Avail and Where to File Applications?
For government officials and employees, AFP and PNP members, applications should be submitted to their heads of offices, supervisors, commanders, or officers next in rank.
For media practitioners, applications should be filed at the Office of the Regional Director in the National Capital Region (NCR); the Office of the City Election Officer for highly urbanized cities or independent cities outside NCR; or the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) for other areas.
Rules and Regulations for LAV
The LAV process will use the automated election system, with the counting and canvassing done through the Automated Counting Machine (ACM) and the Canvassing and Consolidation System (CCS).
Government officials and employees, AFP and PNP members must have the designated voting location approved by their supervisors and notified to the Municipal/City/District Election Officer (DEO) by April 12, 2025. This notification will be shared with the Committee on Local Absentee Voting.
Supervisors, commanders, or officers next in rank must ensure that the designated voting location is final.
Media voters will vote at the Comelec Office where they filed their application, under the supervision of the City Election Officer (CEO), Provincial Election Supervisor (PES), or Regional Election Director (RED).
Manner of Voting
Local absentee voters must:
* use a ballot secrecy folder and the marking pen provided by Comelec
* fully shade the circle before the names of their chosen candidates for senators and party-list representatives
* place the completed ballot inside the inner envelope, seal it with a paper seal, and write the ballot ID outside the envelope
* place the sealed inner envelope inside the outer envelope, also sealed with a paper seal
* write their names and sign the outer envelope
* submit the sealed envelope to the appropriate office — supervisors, commanders, election officers, or regional election directors, as applicable/PN
