MANILA— The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already completed the printing of the more than 59 million official ballots to be used in this month’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
In a statement Monday, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said that the National Printing Office (NPO) has competed the printing of the 59,548,410 ballots as the law postponing the October 23 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls has yet to be signed.
Of this number, 43,741,986 is for the village polls while 15,836,360 ballots are for the youth elections.
The printing of the ballots was finished less than two months after the printing commenced in August 9.
On the other hand. Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said that since the printing has been completed, the en banc will discuss next the packing and shipping of the ballots to the different cities and municipalities.
“It will be discussed during the en banc meeting tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.
The House of Representatives has already adopted the Senate version of the bill which seeks to postpone the polls to May 2018, thus, there is no need for a bicameral conference committee.
The measure is just awaiting President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature for it to become a law.
The poll body noted that they have to continue their preparations for the scheduled polls until the law has been signed.
Meanwhile, Jimenez reported that there were apprehensions on gun ban implementation, but they are still collating reports from the field as to the number of apprehended individuals.
“Reports from the field currently being collared, but can confirm that some violators have been apprehended,” he added.
The gun ban took effect on Sunday, which marks the start of the 30-day election period.