Poll preparations continue amid pandemic — Comelec

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said that preparations for the upcoming national and local elections next year will continue despite threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Castillano said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already released on February 13, 2021 the calendar of activities for the May 9, 2022 elections.

“Ang Comelec nipagawas na og resolution, that is resolution number 10695.  It only goes to show that we will have an election. Do not ever think that (we) won’t have an election because it cannot be postponed even by Congress because it (is) provided for under the constitution. It’s the constitution that sets the date of our election so madayon gyud ta,” Castillano said.

The provincial election official hopes that poll workers would be included in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination.

 “Hopefully by that time naa nay vaccine para sa ilaha, vaccinated na sila,” Castillano said.

Although the police and military personnel are already in the priority list, teachers and Comelec workers are not on the list being not among the frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

October 1 to 8, 2021—including Saturday and Sunday--- is the period for filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for all elective positions, as well as certificates of nomination and acceptance. It is also the period for the filing of the lists of nominees, certificates of nomination and certificates of acceptance of nomination, and affidavits of existing partylist groups, coalitions, and organizations.

The Comelec will start posting on October 29, 2021 the tentative list of candidates on its website and the offices where the COCs were filed. It would also be the last day to file request for change, correction or transfer of voting center.

Based on the Comelec resolution 10695, the election period starts on January 9, 2022 until June 8, 2022.  The poll body listed prohibited acts during the said period. These include gun ban, prohibition of transfer of government employees and prohibition of suspension of elective local officials.

The campaign period for the national candidates or those running for President, Vice President and partylist will start on February 8, 2022. Local candidates can start their campaign on March 25, 2022.--Castillano said. — FPL (FREEMAN)