THE NEXT PHILIPPINE GENERAL ELECTION — SCHEDULE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK (A concise legal briefing as of 9 June 2025, Philippine jurisdiction)
1. Constitutional Anchors
| Provision | Text (abridged) | Practical Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 Constitution, Art. VI, §8 | “Unless sooner removed, the term of Senators shall be six years… elections for Senators shall be held on the second Monday of May.” | Sets the date of every senatorial (and therefore mid-term) election. |
| Art. VII, §4 | “The President and Vice-President shall be elected by direct vote of the people… on the second Monday of May, unless otherwise provided by law.” | Governs presidential polls. |
| Art. X, §8 | Local elective officials, except barangay officials, serve three-year terms “unless sooner removed”; elections also occur on the second Monday of May. | Aligns local polls with the national electoral calendar. |
Key takeaway: All nationwide or “general” Philippine elections must fall on the second Monday of May of the election year unless Congress enacts a special law to move the date (which has never been done in the post-EDSA period).
2. What Counts as the “Next General Election”?
| Election Year | Offices at Stake | Common Name | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 senators; all district representatives; all provincial, city & municipal officials; ARMM/BARMM officials (unless synchronized earlier) | “Mid-term” national & local election | Sometimes called a “general election” because it is nationwide, even without the presidency. |
| 2028 | President, Vice-President, 12 senators, district representatives, local officials | Full “general” or presidential election | The next time the presidency is on the ballot. |
Interpretive note: Philippine statutes use “national and local elections” interchangeably with “general elections.” For litigators or drafters, be explicit which cycle you mean.
3. Statutory & Regulatory Timelines (2025 Cycle)**
(Dates follow the regular statutory formula and COMELEC practice; they will be finalized in a COMELEC calendar-of-activities resolution typically issued 18–24 months before election day.)
| Milestone | Statutory Basis | Typical Timing for 2025* | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voter registration resumption | RA 8189 (Voter’s Registration Act) | 09 Jul 2024–30 Sep 2024 | Registration reopens after barangay/SK polls. |
| Last day to register | RA 8189, §8 (no later than 120 days before E-day) | 13 Jan 2025 | Counted backwards from 12 May 2025. |
| Filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) | Sec. 76, Omnibus Election Code & RA 7166 | 01–08 Oct 2024 | Seven-day window. Substitution ends 12 May for death/withdrawal, 29 Nov 2024 for party substitution. |
| Start of overseas & local absentee voting | RA 9189 (Overseas Voting), RA 10380 | 12 Apr–12 May 2025 | 30-day period for Filipinos abroad / government personnel. |
| Campaign period — national posts | RA 7166, §5(a) | 12 Feb–10 May 2025 (90 days) | Applies to senatorial & party-list bets; premature campaigning ban lifts only here per Penera v. COMELEC (G.R. No. 181613). |
| Campaign period — local posts | RA 7166, §5(b) | 29 Mar–10 May 2025 (45 days) | Includes congressional & local candidates. |
| Gun ban & election period | Omnibus Election Code, §32; COMELEC Resolution under Art. IX-C | 12 Jan–10 Jun 2025 (120 days before to 30 days after) | Requires COMELEC permit to carry firearms. |
| Liquor ban | OEC §261(dd) | 10–11 May 2025 | Two days before election day. |
| Campaign silence (“election e-day eve”) | OEC §5.5 | 11 May 2025 | No campaign activity 24 hours before polls. |
| Election Day | CONST. Art. VI & VII | 12 May 2025 (Second Monday) | Voting hours typically 6 AM–6 PM; may be extended by COMELEC sitting en banc. |
| Canvass & proclamation | CONST. Art. VI, §4; RA 9369 (automated elections) | Provincial/city proclamations within 7 days; national canvass within 30 days | Senate counted by COMELEC sitting as National Board of Canvassers. |
| Start of term (senators) | CONST. Art. VI, §4 | 30 Jun 2025, 12 NN | Same date for House & local officials. |
| Start of term (barangay/SK) | RA 11462 | Usually Jan of succeeding year | Not part of the 2025 cycle unless synchronized. |
* Exact dates will be set by COMELEC Resolution (e.g., Res. No. 10929 for 2022). Expect a similar resolution for 2025 by mid-2024.
4. Looking Ahead to the 2028 Presidential Cycle
Key dates simply advance by three years:
- Election Day: 8 May 2028 (second Monday).
- COC filing: first week of October 2027.
- National campaign: 9 Feb–6 May 2028.
- Local campaign: 25 Mar–6 May 2028.
- Proclamation of President/Vice-President: joint session of Congress, usually within 30 days of election day.
- Assumption into office: 30 June 2028, 12 NN.
A detailed calendar will again be issued by COMELEC, typically in April 2026.
5. Special Situations & Contingencies
| Scenario | Governing Rule | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Failure of Election in a precinct/municipality | OEC §6; Loong v. COMELEC | Special election within 30 days, per COMELEC resolution; identical ballots, same COCs. |
| Pandemic/Public Health Emergency | RA 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases) & inherent police power | Congress may move election by special law; COMELEC may adjust procedures (e.g., split-precinct, longer hours) but not the date. |
| Martial Law or State of Emergency | CONST. Art. VII, §18 | Elections proceed unless physically impossible; Supreme Court has final say on postponement disputes (David v. Macapagal-Arroyo). |
6. Compliance Checklist for Practitioners
- Mark statutory cut-offs (120-day, 90-day, 45-day, 30-day rules).
- Coordinate with the COMELEC Campaign Finance Office for Statement of Contributions & Expenditures (SOCE) filing within 30 days after election day (OEC §14).
- Observe social-media disclosure rules (COMELEC Res. No. 10488 et al.) for online campaigning.
- Secure firearms permits during the gun ban (COMELEC Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel).
- Advise foreign-based clients on Overseas Voting registration deadlines (usually 30 Sept two years before the election year).
7. Bottom Line
- The next nationwide polling event is set for 12 May 2025 under existing constitutional and statutory mandates.
- The next presidential election follows on 8 May 2028.
- All intervening dates (COC filing, campaign periods, bans) flow mechanically from these Mondays under RA 7166, the Omnibus Election Code, and COMELEC resolutions.
- Unless Congress amends the law or the Supreme Court intervenes, no executive or COMELEC issuance may move the second-Monday-of-May rule.
Prepared for legal practitioners, compliance officers, and public-interest advocates monitoring the Philippine electoral timetable.