2022 Philippine general election

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines states that unless otherwise provided by law, the election of members of Congress is on every second Monday of May.[1] According to Republic Act No. 7166, election for national, provincial, city and municipal elections are on the second Monday of May, since 1992, and every three years thereafter, with the president and vice president being elected in six-year intervals.[2] It has been three years since the last general election of 2019 and six years since the 2016 presidential election, and with no law postponing the election to date, this means that the election is scheduled to be held on May 9, 2022.

House Deputy Majority Leader and representative from Pampanga's 2nd district Mikey Arroyo asked the Commission on Elections on a hearing for the 2021 budget if the election can be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Sherriff Abas, the chairman of the commission said that it hasn't entered their minds, that the terms are fixed, adding that they're planning on having the vote done on two days.[4] Arroyo's suggestion drew flak from many people, with former COMELEC commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal saying that if people can visit Boracay and the Manila Bay Beach in October 2020, then can they vote in May 2022. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. described the suggestion as treasonous.[5] Arroyo later explained that he didn't want the election to be postponed immediately, and that it is to be done only as a "last resort".[6]

Abas later explained that postponement of the elections is indeed possible, but only if Congress passes a law doing that, and if is approved by the people in a plebiscite. The commission has no part in scheduling the election outside from what is mandated by the constitution.[7]

For this election, all members of the Commission on Elections will be appointed by outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte. Chairman Sheriff Abas and commissioners Antonio Kho and Rowena Guanzon will serve until February 2, 2022, or just over three months before the election. Guanzon is the sole remaining commissioner appointed by former president Benigno Aquino III (Abas was appointed by Aquino as commissioner, then was appointed by Duterte as chairman).[8]

In September 2020, Duterte appointed lawyer Michael Peloton as commissioner, filling in for the seat vacated by Luie Tito Guia's retirement. As this was a regular appointment as opposed to an ad interim one made when Congress is in recess, Peloton has to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments before he can take office.[9] In November 2020, Duterte appointed Davao del Norte election supervisor Aimee Ferolino Ampoloquio to the seat vacated by Al Parreño.[10]

Voter registration began on January 20, 2020, and will end on September 30, 2021. The commission expects 4.3 million eligible voters to register. Registration was suspended in some areas in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas due to the Taal Volcano eruption, and in Makilala, Cotabato due to an earthquake.[11] However, even before registration for 2022 opened, many other voters enrolled early between August 1 and September 30, 2019, ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections initially scheduled for May 11, 2020, but were eventually postponed after the general election to December 5, 2022.[12][13]

On March 10, the commission suspended voter registration in the entire country due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.[14] By June, the commission announced its initial resumption on July 1.[15] However, the commission suspended voter registration anew up to August 31.[16] The commission later stated on August 15 that voter registration would resumed on September 1 in areas under "general community quarantine" or "modified general community quarantine". Areas under "enhanced community quarantine" and "modified enhanced community quarantine" will have their registration suspended.[17]

Registration in the province of Palawan will also be suspended due to an upcoming plebiscite to divide it into three provinces on March 13, 2021.[18] The plebiscite was originally set on May 11, 2020, but was rescheduled due to the pandemic.[19][20]

Representative from Camarines Sur L-Ray Villafuerte proposed to use a hybrid electoral system in 2022, or manual counting of votes, then electronic transmission of results. This is in contrast to the automated counting and transmission system used since 2010. He cited 40 lawsuits on the current system used by the Commission on Elections as evidence to shift away from automated counting of votes.[21] President Rodrigo Duterte has suggested junking Smartmatic as the automation partner for future elections because of problems from the previous election.[22] However, Smartmatic still wants to participate in the future.[23]

COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon has proposed voting by mail as an option in the elections, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24]

The presidential election will determine the successor to Rodrigo Duterte.

The vice presidential election will determine the successor of Leni Robredo.

Twelve of 24 seats in the Senate of the Philippines, or those first contested in 1998, are up for election. The winners will take office with the winners of the 2019 election.

All seats are up for election.

In November 2020, the Bangsamoro Parliament passed a resolution urging Congress to extend the transition from June 2022 to 2025. If Congress agrees, no election shall be held.[27]

Local elections above the barangay level are expected to be held along with the national elections.

• All 81 provinces will elect governors, vice governors and regular members of their respective Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
• All cities and municipalities will elect mayor, vice mayors and regular members of their respective Sangguniang Panlungsod (for cities) and Sangguniang Bayan (for municipalities).