Philippines vote in Congressional polls

Lubao, Philippines: The Philippines voted on Monday for almost every elected official in the country except the president and the vice-president, but analysts said there was unlikely to be any change in the nation's political make-up.

Balloting started at 7 a.m. local time and is to close at 3 p.m. Each of the more than 300,000 polling precincts has an average of 200 voters.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was among the early voters, casting her ballot at a schoolhouse in the town of Lubao, north of Manila. She did not speak to reporters.

Arroyo's administration is likely to sweep elections for the 275-seat House of Representatives and most of the 18,000 or so local government posts but the opposition is tipped to strengthen its grip on the Senate by winning a majority of the 12 seats being contested.

On the eve of the election day, bags of rice, tins of sardines and packets of instant noodles, goodies which are traditionally handed out by political parties, were distributed to poor communities.

The president's critics said the administration might rig the election, as many allege it did during presidential elections in 2004 to help Arroyo win.

A total of 112 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in campaign violence. There have been widespread allegations of vote-buying and intimidation.