Comelec ‘70% ready’ for Dec. 5 village, youth polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is “70 percent prepared” to hold the Dec. 5 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) amid moves to postpone it anew. (Photo: Arianne Lacanilao/PCI)

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is “70 percent prepared” to hold the Dec. 5 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) amid moves to postpone it anew.

“More or less we are already 70 percent prepared. This September, we are aiming to complete printing all the needed ballots and other documents needed for the barangay and SK polls,” said Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia on the sidelines of the poll body’s 82nd founding anniversary.

He added that the poll body will start shipping election paraphernalia to the different parts of the county by October.

At the same time, he noted that they will be appearing before the Senate on Tuesday to give their opinion on the holding of the 2022 BSKE.

“On our part, we respect the power of Congress to postpone the elections and to reset to a later date. But for us, whether it will push through or not, we continue to prepare. In the event it would be rescheduled, it would incur an additional cost,” he added.

The poll body earlier said it will need another PHP5 billion in funds in case this year’s village and youth polls will be reset.

Last week, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms approved a proposal to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) scheduled on Dec. 5, 2022 to Dec. 4, 2023.