Filipinos go to the polls to elect a president to succeed Mr. Duterte

Quezon City people go to the polls on the morning of May 9 – Photo: AFP

According to the newspaper Inquirer of the Philippinespolling stations will open from 6 am (5 am Vietnam time) and close at 19 pm (18 pm Vietnam time) the same day.

At Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School in Batac city, considered a stronghold of the Marcos family, long lines of voters patiently queued before voting time. After a few professional moves by the security team, candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr (also known by the nickname Bongbong in the Philippines) and his sister Irene appeared at the polling station.

Mrs. Imelda Marcos, Mr. Bongbong’s mother, arrived later in another car and also entered the voting area with the guidance of another person due to her advanced age and difficulty walking (over 90 years old).

Ten candidates are vying to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte in an election seen by many as a defining moment for the Philippines’ democracy.

However, according to AFP news agency, only Bongbong and his opponent Leni Robredo have a clear chance of winning.

Candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr refused to answer questions from the media after casting his ballot at a polling station in Batac city in Ilocos Norte province, northern Philippines – Photo: REUTERS

According to polls ahead of polls, Bongbong – son of late President Ferdinand Marcos who ruled from 1965 to 1986 – is leading his opponent and is expected to have a big victory.

Philippine law stipulates that the winner only needs to be the one who gets the most votes. The candidate’s personality, not their policy commitment, is what drives voter choice, according to AFP.

The political accusations back and forth between the candidates have been particularly acrimonious over the past week, leading to violent incidents between supporters of both sides. More than 50 controversies leading to violence were reported to the police during this year’s presidential election season.

According to InquirerThe situation was so tense that before voting, the Philippine police issued a statement calling on voters regardless of faction to “keep a cool head” to avoid leading to clashes. About 60,000 policemen have been deployed to secure polling stations across the Philippines.

In addition to voting to choose the country’s president and vice president for the next six years, Filipino voters will also vote for 12 senators in this election. At the local level, voters choose their delegates, the governor and deputy governor, and the mayors and councilors of their cities.