Delayed Overseas Votes, Top Philippine Election Candidates Revealed

**Delayed Overseas Votes and Top Candidates Emerge in Philippine Election Canvass** Manila, Philippines – The National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) released its initial canvass report on May 15, 2025, revealing the leading senatorial candidates in the #BilangPilipino2025 elections. However, the process faced delays due to internet connectivity issues in several countries, impacting the timely transmission of Certificates of Canvass (COCs) from overseas voting. According to a News5 report, several COCs from countries such as Iran and Poland were delayed. "Three certificates of canvass from overseas votes, particularly from Iran, Poland, and Russia, were delayed in transmission to the NBOC due to internet restrictions," stated Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco. The NBOC worked to resolve these issues, coordinating with Philippine embassies and consulates abroad to expedite the process. Despite the delays, the NBOC managed to process 159 COCs within the first two days of the count. Despite the challenges, the initial report highlighted the top four senatorial candidates: Bong Go, Bam Aquino, Bato Dela Rosa, and Tito Sotto. The NBOC aims to complete the canvass and proclaim the winning senators by Saturday, with party-list groups to follow on Monday. The Comelec clarified that the delays did not affect the overall vote count. The high voter turnout of 81.65% (55.8 million out of 68 million registered voters) indicates strong public participation in the election.