Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Monday, March 25, that they have deemed it "necessary" to conduct internet voting for the midterm polls in 2025.

Garcia said this during the the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Rotary International District 3810, and the Associated Marine Officers And Seamen's Union of the Philippines.

"We deem it necessary na magkaroon ng internet voting kahit walang batas sapagkat ang interpretation ng Comelec, inauthorize kami ng batas mismo to venture on other mode of voting, kasama po ang internet voting diyan (We deem it necessary that there be internet voting even with the absence of a law because it's Comelec's interpretation that we are authorized under the law to venture into other voting modes which includes internet voting)," he said.

"Kaya po sa darating na eleksyon...Filipinos abroad kahit mga nasa bahay lang nila makakaboto sila using only their devices (In the upcoming election...Filipinos abroad even in their homes can vote using only their devices)," he added.

Since last year, Comelec has been pushing for the use of internet voting for overseas Filipinos.

During the May 2022 polls, Garcia said that overseas voters were at 1.697 million wherein a total of 40.59 percent of them did cast their ballots. This is a slight increase from the 31 percent record made in 2010. Garcia has stated that this "dismal" record was the highest in voting history.

Currently, Overseas Absentee Voters can vote via the in-person and mail-in modes.

On May 17 last year, the Comelec en banc approved internet voting for overseas Filipino voters for the 2025 elections.

However, Garcia bared that there are countries that does not allow internet voting. In this case, he mentioned that they will transport the new voting machines to the embassies there.

When asked if the absence of a law could affect the conduct of internet voting, Garcia said that based on their legal study, the current law does not prohibit them to pursue internet voting as a mode.

"Comelec ay pupwedeng mag-venture sa ibang modes of voting basta magre-report ka lang sa Kongreso (Comelec may venture into other modes of voting as long as you report to Congress)," Garcia said.

"So whatever the Comelec will be doing, we will be reporting to Congress on the update on the process nitong pangatlong (in this third) mode ng (of) voting," he added.

The poll chief is also hoping that no one questions this before the Supreme Court (SC).

Through this mode, Garcia said that 200,000 to 300,000 Filipino seafarers will get the opportunity to cast their vote and they should not be deprived of it.