Comelec chief wants decision on barangay, SK polls before end of the month

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia is hoping that fate of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections slated on December 5, will be known before the end of the month.

Several measures have been filed in Congress, including that of Senators Francis Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada, to defer the elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Congress has not made a decision yet, Garcia assured the public on Monday that preparations for the elections are underway.

“Kami po ay tuloy-tuloy, dere-deretso. Ang time table po namin ay nandiyan. Hopefully nga po, sana lang po ang pakiusap natin, sana lang po magkaroon ng kaliwanagan bago matapos itong August na ito upang kahit paano malaman namin kung ano talaga ‘yung direksyon na atin pong tatahakin,” Garcia said on Teleradyo’s Sakto program.

(We are continuously preparing. We have a time table. We just hope that a decision is made before the end of the month  so that we know what direction to take.)

Comelec Chiarman George Garcia  (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

“So, dapat handa rin po kami. Of course, may kaunting gagastusin sa paghahanda na ‘yan pero just the same, iga-guarantee po natin sa ating mga kababayan: Huwag kayo mag-alala, ‘yung aming gagastusin ay ‘yung gastos lang na sapat para lang po sa paghahanda sa darating na halalan,” Garcia added.

(So, we should be prepared. Of course, there will be a expenses for the preparations but just the same, we are guaranteeing our fellow Filipinos: Don’t worry, our expenses will only be enough for the preparations of the upcoming polls.)

The poll body’s budget for the Barangay and SK elections is around P8.4 billion.

 gsg