MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is left without a choice but to stop printing ballots for the 2025 midterm elections even though over 6 million ballots have already been printed and less than four months before the May 12 polls.

Before the May elections, the poll body has to produce 73 million ballots by April 14 but with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling, which issued five temporary restraining orders (TROs), the Comelec has to dispose of over 6 million ballots worth P132 million or P22 per ballot.

According to Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia, the public need not worry as “Plan B” is currently in place even though he admitted that this means going “back to zero.”

“This is the first time in electoral history that the Comelec will order the reprinting—back to zero—of the ballots in compliance with the Supreme Court,”  he said.

Based on the five TROs released by the high tribunal, it ordered the poll body to halt ballot printing after five candidates were favored by the SC under different circumstances.

In the first TRO released by the high court which tackles the case of Subair Guinthum Mustapha vs. Comelec, Subair Guinthum Mustapha is fighting the Comelec decision that labeled him a nuisance candidate and canceled his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for Senator in the 2025 elections.

Meanwhile, in the case of Charles Savellano vs. Ronald Singson and Comelec, Savellano is opposing Comelec’s decision that also declared him a nuisance candidate for Representative of Ilocos Sur’s 1st District in the 2025 elections. 

The Comelec was ordered to respond to both Mustapha and Savellano cases within five days. 

At the same time, in the case of Chito Bulatao Balintay vs. Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor of Zambales and Comelec En Banc, Chito Bulatao Balintay, a member of an indigenous group in Zambales, is challenging Comelec’s rejection of his application to file a COC for Zambales Governor in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO stopping Comelec from enforcing its decision and ordering it to accept and process Balintay’s COC. 

Comelec was given 10 days to respond to the petition after receiving notice.

The fourth TRO was given in favor of Edgar Erice who is disputing Comelec’s decision to disqualify him as a candidate for Representative of Caloocan City’s 2nd District in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO stopping Comelec from disqualifying Erice. It also gave Comelec 10 days to respond to the petition after receiving notice.

Florendo De Ramos Ritualo, Jr. likewise challenged Comelec’s decision to cancel his COC for Sangguniang Panlungsod Member of San Juan City’s 1st District in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO preventing Comelec from canceling Ritualo’s COC. The Comelec was ordered to respond to the petition within 10 days of receiving notice, with proper delivery and filing of documents.

Following the issuance of the TROs, Garcia noted that the Election Management System will be updated soon to add the five new candidates and generate a total of 1,6667 new ballot templates.

Ballot printing is targeted to start on January 20, but the poll body has yet to confirm the final date.

According to Comelec, due to the TROs that stopped the poll body from printing ballots, the mock elections scheduled for January 18 are likewise suspended and subject to rescheduling. A new schedule has yet to be determined as well.