No resources will be wasted in possible brgy, SK polls postponement —Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday said supplies that will be used for the December 2022  barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will not go to waste if ever the polls are postponed.

“Kung sakali man po, kami man ay nakapaghanda ng materyales, nakapag-imprenta ng balota, wala pong masasayang, kung sakaling man pong nandiyan na ang bagong batas na nagsasabing ipagpapaliban ang halalan,” acting Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

(If ever the materials are ready and the ballots are already printed, they will not go to waste if ever the elections are postponed.)

According to Laudiancgo, the Comelec can store the supplies and use them when the SK and barangay elections push through on a new schedule.

He said this is how they did it when the barangay and SK elections were postponed from 2017 to 2018.

Several bills have been filed in Congress seeking to postpone the SK and barangay elections.

On Wednesday, a Senate bill postponing the December 2022 barangay and SK elections to the second Monday of December 2023 was sponsored in the Senate.

Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate electoral reforms and people's participation committee, introduced Senate Bill 1306 containing Committee Report No. 4 during the chamber's session.

Among the reasons she cited were the short term of office for barangay officials, the expenses that are incurred by the barangay polls, and the need to revise and streamline the present SK system.

According to Comelec, they would need around P18.4 billion if the conduct of the polls were postponed to December 2023.

Laudiangco, during the Unang Balita interview, said the poll body is acknowledging the power of Congress to pass a law postponing the barangay and SK elections.

"Kinikilala ng Comelec ang kapangyarihan ng ating Kongreso na magpasa ng batas na ipagpaliban ang barangay at SK elections," he said. —KBK, GMA News