The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) will be monitoring this year’s elections in the Philippines! Here are some quick facts about our International Observer Mission 2025 (IOM).
You can also find out more at https://ichrp.net/IOMFactSheet.
What is the IOM?
The International Observer Mission (IOM) is a people-led, independent election observation initiative rooted in international solidarity. It is organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), a global network composed of faith-based groups, trade unions, lawyers, parliamentarians, academics, and human rights defenders across the globe.
The mission responds to the call for impartial, international scrutiny of the Philippine electoral process, amid persistent reports of state-sponsored violence, fraud, and foreign military interference. The IOM centers on disenfranchised Filipino communities, particularly in rural and militarized areas.
History and Context
Last 2021, Commissioners of the Independent International Investigation into Human Rights Violations in the Philippines (INVESTIGATE PH) in their 2nd and 3rd reports recommended that an independent international election observer mission be conducted to maintain the integrity of the May 2022 presidential elections. ICHRP responded by launching the IOM in 2022.
The IOM concluded that the 2022 Philippine elections failed to meet the international standard of a free, honest, and fair election.
The elections were marred by a failure of the electronic voting system, along with a high level of blatant vote-buying, widespread cases of red-tagging and documented cases of deadly violence. The report highlighted incidents of election-related violence, intimidation, harassment, and manipulation during the electoral process, which compromised the integrity of the elections and impeded citizens’ ability to participate freely.
Why Observe the 2025 Philippine Elections?
The 2025 elections unfold against a backdrop of:
- Escalating political rivalries between powerful dynastic blocs
- Rising electoral violence and militarization
- Widespread human rights violations, particularly in rural areasWhat the IOM Will Monitor
- Election-related violence, intimidation, fraud, red-tagging, and vote-buying
- Disinformation and manipulation in both mainstream and digital platforms
- Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), especially in communities affected by armed conflict and militarization
- Violations of Human Rights (HR), especially against rural and indigenous peoples