COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia said over the weekend that the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for the 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) is already set for October 6 to 13, despite calls for its postponement.
However, there is no filing of COC on October 9 based on the Comelec’s calendar of activities for the BSKE elections on December 5, 2022.
The election period will be from October 6, 2022 up to December 12, 2022, which will also be the duration of the gun ban.
na mamarkahan din ang tagal ng Comelec gun ban.
“‘Yung gun ban, papasok na rin po sa October 6 na ‘yan. Sa kaalaman ng lahat, ‘yung mga nakakuha ng gun ban exemption nung 2022, aming inilalatag na ‘yung exemption na ‘yun ay carried over na hanggang dito para sa BSKE elections,” sabi ni Garcia sa pahayag sa radyo.
Also, the campaign period will be from November 25 up to December 3, 2022.
If ever the BSKE pushes through, the voting will start from 7 a.m. up to 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, the last day for the filing of Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) in on January 4, 2023.
Last month, the House Suffrage and Electoral Reforms committee voted for the postponement of the BSKE to December 4, 2023.
Chairman Garcia told the House Suffrage and Electoral Reforms panel that the postponement of the BSKE will only mean additional expenditures for the government. This is because moving the barangay and youth council polls to another date will mean the poll body will reopen registration for new voters.
While waiting for the final decision on the issue, Garcia said the Comelec will continue with the preparations and the procurement of election paraphernalia, according to Garcia.
Meanwhile, Garcia again reiterated that he supports proposals for the holding of what he called “hybrid” elections—part manual, part automated—in the country.
He said that they are just waiting for the proposal to be passed by Congress.
According to him, the Comelec is open to this kind of voting system, especially because it can provide the needed transparency for voting Filipinos and to establish integrity and credibility in voting during elections.