The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, May 6, started the first shipment of official ballots bound for the National Capital Region (NCR), six days before the May 2025 midterm polls.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced the delivery of all 7.5 million ballots designated for NCR voters following the successful distribution to other regions, where ballots are already secured in municipal and city treasurers’ offices.

"Ngayong araw na ito sisimulan na natin yung huling shipment, huling delivery ng mga balota sa NCR... ngayong araw na to i-distribute natin sa mga tresurero ng mga sumusunod na siyudad, Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Malabon, Navotas at San Juan (Today, we are starting the final shipment, the last delivery of ballots which will be for the NCR... today, we will distribute them to the treasurers of the following cities: Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Malabon, Navotas, and San Juan)," he said.

Distribution to Muntinlupa, Pateros, Taguig, Manila, Makati, Pasay, Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, and Parañaque is scheduled for the following day.

Garcia urged political parties, candidates, interest groups, and citizens’ arms to send representatives to local treasurers’ offices to witness the deliveries. The ballots will be temporarily stored there until handed over to electoral board members, with most distributions expected to occur on Sunday or early Monday.

He assured the public that earlier ballot deliveries to remote areas had been completed without incident.

“Lahat pong yan ay natanggap na ng ating treasurer's offices ng mga munisipyo at siyudad and properly accounted and properly reported sa ating mga election officers (All of those have been received by the treasurers’ offices of the municipalities and cities, and have been properly accounted for and properly reported to our election officers),” he said.

Addressing concerns about pre-election logistics, Garcia explained that early morning deployments are typical in NCR due to short travel distances. For far-flung areas, early delivery is permitted provided police or military escorts are present.

Comelec emphasized the security of the deliveries, noting the use of sealed trucks.

"Kung napansin nyo may mga seal ang mga truck natin. Hindi lamang ito kahit yung iba natin nag-distribute ng mga election paraphernalia. Una, may serial number ang lahat ng seal na nilalagay natin, and therefore properly accounted ang lahat ng yan (If you noticed, our trucks have seals. This applies not only to those delivering ballots but also to other election paraphernalia. First, every seal we place has a serial number, and therefore all of them are properly accounted for)," Garcia explained.

"Yung mga plastic seals na yan ever since basta yan naputol na, ibig sabihin niyan, compromised na o hindi na mapagkakatiwalaan yung integridad, kung pagdating doon sa mismong lugar na intended niya ay na-break na siya. So therefore kinakailangan yung ating provider alam nila yung serial number nung mismong mga seal na meron ang mga truck na ito (Those plastic seals, ever since, once they are broken, it means they have been compromised or that the integrity can no longer be trusted, especially if they are already broken upon arrival at their intended destination. Therefore, our provider must know the serial numbers of the seals used on these trucks)," he added.

With just six days left before election day, Garcia said preparations are nearly complete.

“Kung napansin niyo di ganun kabigat na yung mga natitira nating mga paghahanda eto monitoring na lang supervision, reporting na lang more or less ang hinihintay natin doon sa mga nagawa na natin (If you've noticed, the remaining preparations are not that heavy; it's mostly just monitoring, supervision, and reporting more or less, on the things we've already completed),” he said.

Garcia also gave an assurance that overall preparations are on track for the elections on Monday. He said that they're mostly just monitoring and keeping track of the delivery of all the materials, conducting final testing and sealing at various precincts across the country, checking the condition of our ballots, and ensuring the security of each area.

Monitoring includes deployment of police and military personnel to critical areas and checking on the readiness of teachers who will serve as poll workers. He noted that currently, they have not received any reports from teachers saying that they will be unable to serve on election day.

Garcia said that the poll body is also inspecting school facilities to be used as polling places and is preparing for early voting accommodations.

“Pinaghahandaan namin ang pagboto ng mga vulnerable sectors natin ng alas-singko ng umaga hanggang alas-siyete sapagkat again inuulit ko sila ang mga kauna-unahang boboto sa araw ng eleksyon (We are preparing for the voting of our vulnerable sectors from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. because, again, I repeat, they will be the first to vote on election day),” he said.