Philippine election: Who's who in the race to replace President Rodrigo Duterte?

On May 9, tens of millions of Filipinos will head to the polls to pick a new wave of leaders for the country, including their next president.

The incoming leader - who would replace the 77-year-old populist President Rodrigo Duterte known for his deadly crackdown on drugs - for a six-year term, is set to face wide-ranging challenges such as defining the Philippines' position on an increasingly assertive China in its backyard.

The months-long campaign also generated plenty of controversy, including rumours linking a presidential candidate to communist terrorists, as the nominees went all out to woo the voters in the last stretch of the fiercely contested race.

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Here's a handy guide to the key things you need to know about the Southeast Asian nation's election:

A record turnout is expected on Monday with over 67 million people of the 110 million population eligible to vote. The number of registered voters has surpassed figures seen in the 2016 (54.4 million) and 2019 (61.8 million) elections.

Local media reported there will be 7 million new voters in this year's poll which George Garcia, commissioner of the Commission on Elections, said could be a "game changer".

Most voters will cast their ballots on May 9 from 6am to 7pm (local time) while overseas voting for more than 1.6 million citizens began on April 10.

While the presidential race is closely watched, voters will also pick a host of elected representatives, including the vice-president, 12 senators, 300 lower house members, and roughly 18,000 local positions - ranging from city mayors to provincial governors and councillors.

Garcia, the commissioner, described the 2022 election as "historic" as there are 10 aspirants eyeing the top job. "It's the first time we have 10 candidates for president," he was quoted as saying.

But a survey by Pulse Asia in mid-April has narrowed the race down to two candidates: Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jnr and Leni Robredo. More than half of the 2,400 respondents supported the former while 23 per cent backed his rival.

Marcos Jnr, 64, is the only son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos who ruled the Philippines from 1965 to 1986.

His father's presidency was marked by oppression, corruption and brutality. Billions of dollars were plundered from the state and the imposition of martial law in 1972 saw 70,000 people imprisoned and 3,000 killed, according to Amnesty International.

A popular revolt eventually overthrew the government and Marcos Jnr's family was forced to live in exile.

But after his return to the Philippines in the 1990s, the British-educated Marcos Jnr rehabilitated his image and regained popularity. He was later elected as governor, congressman and senator of his home province of Ilocos Norte. The politician has promised unity and hope in his presidential campaign.

The other strong contender, incumbent vice-president Robredo, is not an unfamiliar rival - Marcos Jnr had narrowly lost to her in the 2016 election.

Robredo, 57, is a human rights lawyer and economist who entered politics in 2013 following the sudden death of her husband, former interior secretary Jesse Robredo, who was killed in a plane crash.

A staunch critic of President Duterte's brutal war on drugs - the president and vice-president are elected separately in the Philippines and can come from differing camps - she has often found herself crossing swords with and called names by the brash-talking leader.

Robredo, the only female presidential candidate, has been the subject of rumours linking her to communist insurgents but the claims have since been dismissed by a former armed forces official. She has promised voters an honest and transparent government if elected.

Other presidential candidates include former boxer Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who got 7 per cent and 4 per cent of respondents' support respectively in last month's Pulse Asia survey.

Moreno, who once dominated the opinion polls, was sceptical about the 4 per cent backing he received. "It's not over till the fat lady sings," the former actor said. Moreno has called for Beijing to respect Manila's sovereign rights in the disputed South China Sea.

President Duterte has yet to openly back any candidate but his political party had in March endorsed Marcos Jnr's candidacy. He also got a boost by securing Duterte's daughter, Davao mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, as his vice-president running mate.

Polling is set to end at 7pm but the election commission has said that hours may be extended if electors are still waiting at voting stations.

Vote counting will begin as soon as ballots close and the winner of the presidency is expected to be announced within hours. In the past, accredited vote tracker Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting has broadcast its unofficial result in real-time.

This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

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