DICT: Everything in place to put up precinct finder on Comelec website

The Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) on Tuesday said all systems are ready for the establishment of a platform, within the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) website, that can be used by voters to find their polling precincts for the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

In a virtual interview with reporters, DICT spokesperson Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said “the memorandum of agreement between the DICT and the Comelec is just awaiting the signature of our Secretary [Ivan Uy].”

On Monday, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the poll body is awaiting the DICT’s go signal for the publication of the precinct finder on its website.

“Basically everything is in place, we will be providing technical assistance and support to the Comelec when it comes to the precinct finder, we will also provide the platform,” Paraiso said.

The DICT official said the agreement between the Comelec and the ICT Department could be signed within the week.

He said the precinct finder will be “under the control and supervision of Comelec so as not to violate any of the laws regarding the Election Code.”

The Comelec earlier said there are a total of 92 million voters for the BSKE 2023.

Garcia said of the said number, 68 million are regular voters while 24 million are SK voters.

BSKE 2023 will be held on Monday, October 23.

A total of 42,001 barangay chairperson posts and SK chairperson posts are up for grabs in the said elections.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared October 30 as a special non-working day throughout the country for the BSKE.

Paraiso said the DICT is assuring the public that the 2016 “Comeleak” data breach incident will not happen again.

“[But] we’re expecting other challenges that may pop up… any challenges that have to do with the conduct of elections,” he said.

“We expect the unexpected so we prepare ourselves for any contingencies,” he added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News