EU deploys 104 more ‘short-term’ observers for May elections

EU OBSERVERS. European Union election monitoring mission chief observer Marta Temido, MEP, holds a press briefing in Makati City on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) on the deployment of 104 short-term watchers who will observe the conduct of the May 12 midterm elections in the Philippines. The observers will be deployed to urban and rural areas across all regions in the country. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The European Union (EU) has deployed 104 more “short-term” observers for the polling and canvassing proper of the May 12 midterm elections, bringing to 226 its total election experts in the Philippines.

The 104 will cover all regions in both urban and rural areas to augment the 72 long-term observers the bloc deployed mid-April.

“They will enhance the mission’s presence, reach, and capacity on election day, as well as during the polling, automated counting, and canvassing of results,” EU election mission’s chief observer and Member of the European Parliament Marta Temido said in a presser on Wednesday.

“On election day, the EU observers will be mobile on the ground, visiting different precincts from the opening at 5 a.

m. to the closing at 7 p.m.,” she added.

Each team will observe the closing procedures at one polling precinct and remain there until the counting operations are over.

After each visit, they will fill out an observation form and send it the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) headquarters in Manila.

The teams will also assess the functioning of election technology.

Temido said this mission “aims to contribute to the integrity of the elections, without interfering nor validating its results”.

The EU EOM will issue a preliminary statement on findings at a press conference on May 14 in Manila.

A final report with recommendations will be presented in the country around two months after the elections.

“Constructive recommendations will be the legacy of our mission, offered to the consideration of people and authorities in the same spirit of cooperation and partnership with the Philippines that marks our presence in the country since our arrival,” Temido said.

Prior to their deployment, the 104 received a three-day in-depth briefing in Manila on the electoral framework, voting and counting procedures, and the political environment.

In addition, a delegation of the European Parliament and a further 20 accredited members of the diplomatic community from EU member states, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland will join the EU EOM in the coming days.