Congress to convene as NBOC for presidential vote count

Congress will convene as the National Board of Canvassers starting May 24 to officially count the votes for president and vice president from the May 9 national and local elections.

The joint session is scheduled to commence on Tuesday at 10 a.m. within the session hall of the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

The House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 26, empowering Congress to hold a joint public session to canvass the votes.

Ballot boxes containing certificates of canvass and election returns were securely transported to the Batasang Pambansa complex.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines utilized 11 military trucks and two armored personnel carriers to deliver the ballot boxes.

House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza assured that Congress would be canvassing the votes with efficiency and full transparency.

The NBOC-Congress is determined to finish the canvassing by Wednesday night or Thursday morning at the latest, with the process running 24 hours daily without suspensions.

Mendoza reiterated that the public is assured of transparency through continuous live streaming and the presence of the media.