On May 12, 2025, Philippine voters will choose 12 of the Senate's 24 members, all 317 members of the House of Representatives, and nearly 18,000 local officials. Members of the Senate, who are selected under a plurality-at-large system, serve six-year terms and are only allowed two consecutive terms. Members of the lower house serve three-year terms and may serve a maximum of three successive terms.

This assessment was last updated on February 11, 2025.

The Philippines has held regular elections since transitioning from authoritarian rule in 1986. Though the Philippines hosts a vibrant political landscape, established political dynasties have long dominated politics. Rule of law and the application of justice are haphazard and heavily favor the elite.

Debates on corruption and economic policy are likely to be key issues in the election. Concerns related to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.; and Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, will likely loom over the contests, though they are not up for reelection. President Marcos and Vice President Duterte acceded to office in 2022 championing national unity, yet have since turned into bitter rivals. In late 2024, Duterte said she would orchestrate President Marcos's assassination if she were to be killed herself. Activists and civil society organizations called for her impeachment over allegations that she misused public funds as 2024 closed. In February 2025, the House of Representatives indeed impeached the vice president over corruption allegations and her public statements on assassinating Marcos, though the Senate may not try her until July.

Marcos has himself faced corruption allegations, including from the vice president. Opposition politicians and workers' groups criticized a budget bill Marcos signed in December 2024. Critics have argued that the bill was falsely represented as a poverty-reduction and economic-growth package when it was really designed to bolster the electoral prospects of Marcos's allies. A December 2024 Pulse Asia survey suggested that Marcos-backed candidates would win 8 to 9 of the 12 available Senate seats, while Duterte allies would win 1 or 2.

The 2022 presidential election, while free from overt restrictions, was characterized by vote buying, political violence, and coordinated campaigns spreading false and misleading information, which effectively undermined fair competition. In late December 2024, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned that vote buying would threaten election integrity during the coming elections, particularly in local races, and announced measures to identify and mitigate such efforts. Political violence has also continued. In January 2025, Comelec approved a list designating 38 areas across the Philippines as "red zones," areas that face serious armed threats and have suffered election-related violence in the past. If designated, Comelec can place the localities under its control, allowing it to supervise officials and control law enforcement agencies.

The Philippines has a score of 56 out of 100, with 100 representing the least vulnerability in terms of election integrity, on Freedom House's Election Vulnerability Index, which is based on a selection of key election-related indicators. The score reflects a distorted online information environment along with routinely held elections that are marred by the targeted harassment of journalists and media outlets, activists, and government critics.

Freedom House has identified the following as key digital interference issues to watch ahead of election day:

• Information Manipulation: There are concerns that this year's elections will, like previous contests, feature content manipulation. In previous polls, political figures and parties employed private firms, recruited microinfluencers, and enlisted the help of hyperpartisan media outlets to spread false and misleading information and discredit their opponents and independent media outlets. For instance, pro-Marcos networks spread YouTube and TikTok content that aimed to paper over human rights abuses perpetrated by Ferdinand Marcos Sr. False and misleading information about candidates, political parties, and policy matters can distort voters' understanding of electoral issues and impede the dissemination of reliable information. In response to concerns about deceptive use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in campaigning, Comelec issued guidelines in September 2024 requiring candidates, parties, and content-hosting platforms to label AI-generated posts, and mandating registration for social media accounts engaging in official campaigning.
• Harassment: Under both the Marcos Jr. and Rodrigo Duterte administrations, authorities employed red-tagging—a tactic of accusing targets of links to communist groups—to harass and intimidate journalists, celebrities, and everyday internet users. Additionally, violence against independent journalists and activists is a significant problem in the Philippines, sometimes directly related to their online activity. For instance, in October 2022, Percival Mabasa, an online political commentator with a record of criticizing government officials, was murdered. Such violence and intimidation ahead of the upcoming elections could fuel self-censorship and limit voter turnout.
• Cyberattacks: Technical attacks pose a threat to Philippine media groups, particularly those known for critical reporting on the government. For example, in November 2023, after facing a cyberattack, the nonprofit Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism briefly took down its site to prevent further damage to it. Ahead of the 2022 presidential elections, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against media outlets covering the campaign intensified, impacting ABS-CBN News and several other outlets. Similar cyberattacks could impede access to credible reporting relating to the election.

The Philippines is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2024, with a score of 58 out of 100 with respect to its political rights and civil liberties, and Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2024, with an internet freedom score of 60 out of 100. To learn more about these annual Freedom House assessments, please visit the Philippines country reports in Freedom in the World and Freedom on the Net, and the Philippines country portal.