MANILA, Philippines — Senator Loren Legarda commended the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the peaceful, orderly, and efficient conduct of the 2025 national and local elections, citing the swift transmission of results and the transparency that characterized this year’s polls.

“We must commend the Comelec for the professionalism and efficiency it demonstrated during the 2025 elections. The swift and credible transmission of results, coupled with a well-managed voting process nationwide, reflects years of institutional strengthening and reform,” Legarda said.

“We also extend our deepest thanks to the teachers, poll workers, and countless volunteers whose tireless service made this democratic exercise possible,” she added.

While praising the electoral body’s performance, Legarda raised concerns over isolated incidents of violence and heightened alerts in some areas during the election period.

“It is deeply troubling that in this modern age, where the right to suffrage should be upheld by all, any form of suppression or violence has no place in our democracy. We thank the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their efforts in ensuring the peace and safety of the electorate,” she said.

Legarda reiterated the state’s strong condemnation of violence meant to influence election outcomes, warning that such acts threaten the integrity of the democratic process.

She also urged Comelec to build on its success by releasing anonymized, disaggregated election data to deepen public trust and encourage informed civic participation, especially among the youth.

“We are in a unique position to bring our democracy to the next level. By releasing more open and granular data that is carefully curated to protect voter privacy, we can enable students, researchers, policymakers, and ordinary citizens to engage more critically with the electoral process,” she said.

“Understanding how young people vote, what issues resonate across age groups or regions, helps us listen better, govern better, and include better.”

Legarda proposed that Comelec make comprehensive electoral data more accessible through a platform that includes anonymized information disaggregated by age, sex, gender, region, ethnicity, educational attainment, and other relevant indicators. The platform, she said, could also contain information on candidates, such as whether they are reelectionists or first-time contenders.

She also recommended that COMELEC work with academic institutions and data experts to ensure the integrity and rigor of data-sharing initiatives, which she said could help advance civic education, combat disinformation, and strengthen electoral transparency.

“Transparency does not end at the ballot box. It extends to how we reflect on our choices, learn from our shared experience, and refine the democratic space we all inhabit. COMELEC can continue to lead by example, not only in administering elections, but also in enriching the public’s understanding of how democracy works,” Legarda said.