The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) turned down the suggestion to hold the next barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections simultaneously with the midterm polls in 2025.
"Medyo masalimuot iyon. Medyo hindi magiging maganda ang pag-hold natin ng elections," COMELEC chair George Garcia said on Friday, September 2, during DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
Garcia explained that the law mandates the use of an automated election system for the midterm polls unlike the barangay and SK elections.
"Yung kasing barangay and SK elections, ito ay manual elections. Kapag naman national and local elections, ating nakasanayan dahil may batas tayo, tayo ay computerized," the COMELEC chief said.
Garcia expects that such a move will confuse voters during the 2025 elections since COMELEC will have to prepare ballots for manual, and automated elections.
The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has already approved a bill that will defer the barangay and SK elections to December 4, 2023 from December 5, 2022.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has also filed a proposal in the Senate for the postponement of the SK and barangay elections.
