The mission management team of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) international election observation mission (IEOM) to the 2025 national and local elections in the Philippines are in the country preparing for the deployment of international election observers.

Ten long-term observers will participate in a two-day briefing from 30 April to 1 May 2025 who will then be deployed across different regions on 2 May 2025. They will engage with different stakeholders and monitor the campaigning as well as voting and post-election developments. A small team of Short-Term Observers (STOs) are joining closer to Election Day.

The IEOM to the 2025 national and local elections in the Philippines is led by ANFREL
chairperson Rohana Hettiarachchie as Head of Mission and ANFREL executive director Brizza Rosales as Mission Executive Director. Jake Bertram Barker and Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati are the Electoral Analysts.

Dr. Manjesh Rana serves as Mission Coordinator for Electoral Analysts and International Election Observers, Ivy Nwe as Mission Coordinator for Logistics and Operations, and John Reiner Antiquerra as Mission Coordinator for Media Relations and Communication. Shannen Solatan serves as the National Coordinator.

ANFREL formally launched its IEOM of the 2025 Philippine elections on 27 April 2025. An Interim Report will be released at a press conference in Manila on 16 May 2025, with a Final Report to be published in July 2025, offering a comprehensive assessment and actionable recommendations for strengthening democratic practices and electoral reforms.

Read the full statement here: “2025 Philippine National and Local Elections: ‘ANFREL Launches International Election Observation Mission’“