EU: PH poll observation mission ‘running smoothly’

MANILA, Philippines — The European Union’s (EU) election observation mission for the midterm elections  is “running smoothly” as the party started deploying more observers nationwide, its chief observer Marta Temido said on Wednesday.

Temido led the sendoff ceremony of some of 104 short-term observers in Makati City.

“Some left very early this morning,” Temido told reporters before the sendoff. “Several teams will continue their journey by ferry or boat and I expect them to arrive in their base later this evening or tomorrow.”

The short-term observers will now join the 72 long-term observers, who arrived last month and are now deployed in all 17 regions nationwide.

READ: EU deploying over 200 observers for 2025 PH midterm polls

Days before election day, the long-term observers are primarily observing election-related activities like political campaigns while also monitoring concerns on claims about foreign interference.

READ: EU observers say mission includes checking on PH poll interference claim

So far, Temido said their observers have not experienced any security concerns.

“No, not at all,” she said when asked if there are threats to security hounding the observers.

“Everything is running smoothly and peaceful,” she added.

“We are in touch with them all the time; this is the general mood of the campaign."

Meanwhile, a delegation from the European Parliament and 20 members of the diplomatic community from EU member states, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland will join the mission, bringing the total number of deployments to 226.

On election day, the observers in the field will be deployed to their respective polling precincts, staying there from 5:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

They will fill out an observation form which they will submit to the EOM’s core manned by a dozen analysts based in Manila.

The EOM will only publish its initial findings on May 14, or two days after the elections, while its final report will be out two months after the elections.

(2025/05/07-13:31)