Violence mars Philippines poll
From CNN Correspondent Maria Ressa
MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Philippine voters are choosing between incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, film star Fernando Poe Jr. and three other candidates amid reports of scattered violence.
After a deadly runup to the national elections -- with more than 100 people killed or injured in the months preceding the vote -- voting on Monday was said to be largely peaceful and orderly.
About 230,000 troops and police have been deployed ahead of the polls, with 43.5 million registered voters in the Philippines.
Officials say it could be a month before final results are known.
Votes for the thousands of officials, from local-level posts to the president, are being counted by hand.
Arroyo, 57, is considered the favorite, according to polls leading up to the election, but she faces a spirited challenge from 64-year-old Poe, a close friend of former Philippine leader Joseph Estrada, who at one time lead in pre-election polling.
Estrada was ousted from office in January 2001 in the midst of an impeachment hearing that lost its credibility with the public.
Following massive protests, Arroyo -- Estrada's vice president -- was swept into power on a wave of public support and the backing of the military.
More than 20 years after the popular revolt that toppled former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, surveys show that Philippine voters are most concerned about getting rid of endemic corruption and job creation.
 |  Philippine troops deploy in the capital Manila. |
Foreign direct investment is about a third of what it was in 1992 and more than 40 percent of the country's 84 million people live on $2 a day or less.
Arroyo is a U.S.-trained economist, and while Poe has no experience in politics, he is extremely popular with the country's poor.
Voters across the country have a lengthy ballot to consider as more than 200,000 candidates are vying for nearly 18,000 posts.
Official election results are due on June 9, but early tallies are expected within hours of the polls closing.
