Comelec 70% ready for barangay, SK polls

MANILA, Philippines — With no final word yet from Congress on the possible postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said its preparations for the twin polls are 70 percent complete.

“We are 70 percent prepared. This September, we are aiming to complete the printing of ballots and other documents needed for the barangay and SK polls,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said during the 82nd anniversary celebration of the poll body.

Garcia said that by October, the Comelec would be shipping out election paraphernalia to different parts of the country in time for the holding of the elections on Dec. 5.

Comelec officials will attend today a Senate hearing on a proposal to defer the barangay and SK elections.

“We will respect the power of Congress to postpone the elections and to reset it to a latter date. But for us, whether it would be reset or not, we are continuing with the preparations,” Garcia said.

Earlier, Garcia told senators that the poll postponement would entail additional costs. He said an additional P5 billion would be needed if the polls would be reset as the continuing voter registration is expected to increase the number of voters by 29 million more.

“This means additional number of ballots, indelible ink, ballpens, padlocks and teachers are needed for the elections,” Garcia said.

Poll watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) urged the Comelec to stand firm in holding the polls as scheduled.

Namfrel said extending the terms of incumbent barangay and SK officials would not bring stability because they do not have fresh mandates from the electorate.

“A lot has changed since the 2018 barangay and SK elections. After the last four years, incumbents have shown whether they could be trusted in carrying out their programs and projects. Let the people decide now if they have earned that trust and deserve to continue,” Namfrel said. – Neil Jayson Servallos