VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) declared the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) in Ilocos Sur a success, with a peaceful and credible process and a voter turnout of 88.78%.
Lawyer Marino Salas, COMELEC Ilocos Sur provincial election supervisor, said on May 13 that 432,555 voters out of 487,233 cast their votes on May 12.
“Voter turnout here has always been above 80%. Ilocos Sur consistently leads Region I,” Salas shared.
Minor technical issues, such as paper jams and rejected ballots, were quickly resolved.
Of the 922 automated counting machines (ACMs), only two were replaced, and all issues were addressed by on-site technicians.
“No machine had to be brought to our Vigan tech hub. Each locality had backup ACMs, only one or two of which were used,” Salas added.
Although Ilocos Norte slightly topped turnout at 88.96%, Ilocos Sur has a history of topping voter participation in the region: 89.04% in 2022 and 82.83% in 2019.
COMELEC attributes this to its province-wide ACM roadshow, held from December 2024 to January 2025. Officers visited every barangay to explain the machines and promote voting as both a right and responsibility.
They also maintained active social media pages to keep the public informed and engaged.
Under COMELEC’s Early Voting Hours Program, 54,263 individuals voted between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM. This included 42,421 senior citizens, 2,778 persons with disabilities, 736 pregnant women, and 8,328 assistors.
Among early voters was Governor-elect Jeremias Singson, who voted at 6:25 AM.
“I came early to follow the voting hours for vulnerable sectors. The process was smooth and orderly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Darnell Dulnuan, provincial director of the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office (ISPPO), reported only two election-related offenses. Both involved violations of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms Law) in Narvacan.
One suspect, an Abra province resident, was found with a caliber .45 firearm and linked to a May 11 incident under Comelec’s “Kontra-Bigay” policy (Resolution No. 11104).
The Ilocos Sur Police also arrested four other Abra residents found with loaded firearms, a sample ballot, and P80,400 in cash. They are now detained at Narvacan Police Station.
COMELEC credited the peaceful polls to joint efforts of the Board of Canvassers, local government units (LGUs), Department of Education (DepEd), ISPPO, Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and volunteers.
This well-coordinated operation demonstrates the impact of early planning and inter-agency cooperation. (CCMT/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
