Monday, 50-million Filipino voters are going to the polls to vote for a new president, vice president, hundreds of legislators, and thousands of local officials. Turnout is expected to be higher than the 77 percent at the last presidential elections in 2004.

Analysts have said that this year’s election is highly anticipated by Filipinos, following nine years of government under President Arroyo.

A total of nine candidates are vying to be the country's next president, but surveys show that three candidates dominate the race – Sen. Noynoy Aquino, Sen. Manny Villar, and former President Joseph Estrada. The administration bet, former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, is trailing behind at fourth place.

Many believe that Filipinos are making their decision not based on who could manage the country better, but who they could trust with their future.

For the first time, and amid the high stakes, votes cast are to be counted electronically by machines that would then transmit the tally via satellite to central servers in Manila. Voting precincts are to be open for at least 11 hours starting at 7 a.m.

Critics have warned that voting times could be extended by as much as 16 hours because of anticipated technical glitches that would hamper operations of the machines into which the paper ballots are to be fed.