As millions of Filipinos voted yesterday for a new president, an exit poll suggested a triumph for the one-time movie star, Joseph Estrada.
Violence marred voting in one of the world's rowdiest democracies, with at least six people killed in gun battles, but in general it was far more peaceful than past elections.
Election officials put the turnout in the scattered islands of the Philippines at 65 per cent by noon and forecast an overall 80 per cent, despite searing temperatures of up to 38 C.
The total number of registered voters is 34 million. At stake were more than 17,000 positions from president and members of Congress to provincial governors and councillors.
Voting in Manila, Mr Estrada, surrounded by raucously cheering supporters, predicted: "It's all over bar the counting."
Most pre-polling day surveys forecast a clear win for Mr Estrada, but House Speaker Jose de Venecia, the ruling Lakas party candidate, vowed to pull off "the biggest upset in Philippine political history".
An exit poll released after polls closed, showed Mr Estrada far ahead of his nine rivals.
It showed 34.6 per cent had voted for Mr Estrada, more than double the 16.8 per cent for Mr de Venecia, his nearest rival.
Actual results of the election are not expected to be known for about two weeks. About 34 million voters are registered and their ballots are counted manually.
The armed forces and police were put on high alert to forestall violence during the polls, which outgoing President Fidel Ramos labelled a test of Philippine democracy. Mr Ramos is barred by the constitution from a second six-year term.