MANILA — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) urged women to participate more actively in the forthcoming barangay elections.
Based on data from the poll body’s Education and Information Department as of January 2017, there are 29,155,415 female voters aged 18 to 60 years old and above, while there are only 27, 453,928 male voters on the same age bracket.
“It is glaringly ironic that while there are more female than male voters in the country, only a few women participate in elections by seeking elective posts,” said COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez in a statement Tuesday.
The poll body made the call as the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) is set to start on October 5.
“It is high time that women step up to the plate and participate in elections most especially at the Barangay level,” Jimenez said.
The poll body official added, “Women’s participation at the barangay level is exceedingly essential, especially since it is in the barangays that neighborhood disputes are initially mediated and resolved.”
Jimenez said that in the 2013 barangay polls, the number of Punong Barangay (barangay chairman) positions totaled to 41,610 candidates, with only 7,636 or 18.35 percent were women. (PNA)