Comelec sets target for completing barangay, SK polls preparation

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting to complete by September and November the procurement and disribution, respectively, of materials needed for the conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

The polls are scheduled on Dec. 5, although proposals to move these to a latter date are being discussed in Congress.

Acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco bared the timeline of their preparations for the next three months before the holding of the barangay and SK polls.

“All procurements are ongoing through competitive public bidding. We expect to complete everything by September,” Laudiangco said. “We expect these delivered to us by October, so we can deploy or distribute these by November.”

The poll body is procuring election-related paraphernalia including ball pens, ballot secrecy folders, indelible ink and thumbprint takers.

It will also purchase anti-COVID supplies such as thermal scanners, temperature assessment devices and bottles of rubbing alcohol.

There is no need to purchase additional ballot boxes as the Comelec will use those in its inventory.

“We will recycle what we have. We conducted an inventory and we found out that the number of ballot boxes available is sufficient,” Laudiangco said.

The Comelec said on Sunday that it is planning to start the printing of the official ballots by the middle of September.

The poll body remains busy preparing for the barangay and SK elections amid proposals to postpone it.

The Comelec is committed to continue the preparations until a law postponing the elections is passed.

“We need to continue our preparations so that everything is ready by Dec. 5,” Laudiangco said.

He gave assurance that all procured materials would not go to waste in case Congress decides to postpone the elections.