FILE PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is questioning the need to automate the 2025 Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III is questioning the need to automate the 2025 Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
During the Senate committee on finance hearing on the proposed P27.34 billion budget of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for 2024, the senator said automating 2025 BSKE might just be a waste of time.
“Why are we even exerting effort to automate BSKE? Why? You’re wasting your effort. Number one, this is not mandated by law. Number two, it’s going to be really expensive if you can pull it off,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“Aren’t [we] just getting sidetracked? [Let’s] just concentrate on the national and local elections. [Let’s] just concentrate on manual BSKE. What’s wrong?” he added.
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But Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia replied that the House of Representatives committee on electoral reforms approved a resolution directing the poll body to study the possibility of automating the election of BSKE in 2025.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.’s House Resolution No. 987 states that using automated election systems in the BSKE is “practical and economical” because it will lead to faster release of results and the proclamation of winners.
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The proposal likewise asserts that BSKE automation would prevent human intervention or error, reduce confusion in the appreciation of ballots, and cut the cost of electoral manpower.
Garcia, however, also stressed they cannot automate the BSKE at this point due to lack of funds.
“We will be very honest if you’re going to ask us — can we automate? The answer is no at this point. Why? [Because] there’s only a five-month difference between the election of May and December elections. If we will automate BSKE, the filing of certificate of candidacy for BSKE automated should be by May also of 2025 because we have to prepare the ballot[s] of 42,021 barangays in the entire country,” the Comelec chief said.