FILE PHOTO: Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia during the press briefing on Thursday, September 28, 2023, ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election at the Comelec Central Office in Intramuros Manila. INQUIRER.net / NOY MORCOSO
MANILA, Philippines — Most barangays nationwide have already completed the canvassing of votes and proclamation of winning candidates for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE).
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Garcia said ballots in 41,249 precincts nationwide have already been canvassed, representing 98.21 percent of the total 42,001 precincts.
The poll body’s data shows that Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao have all finished canvassing BSKE votes.
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The Comelec official also said that 38,937 precincts nationwide (92.7 percent) have already proclaimed the winning candidates, with Ilocos being the only region that has already proclaimed all its winners.
Garcia explained that certain precincts have yet to proclaim winners because candidates have tied in the vote count.
“Bakit may mga unproclaimed? Kasi meron tayong marami rami rin mga areas na may mga tie ‘yung boto,” said Garcia.
(Why are they unproclaimed? Because we have many areas with tie votes.)
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Garcia said the Comelec en banc has already instructed regional directors to conduct deciders through draw lots or toss a coin as soon as possible.
“We should proclaim the winning candidates at all costs today. Hindi pwedeng patagalin o ipagpaliban pa (it cannot be prolonged or postponed any further),” said Garcia.
“Hopefully this afternoon, matapos ang lahat ng canvassing and ‘yung subject ng proclamation (all the canvassing and the subject of the proclamation will be finished),” he added.