Postponing the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to December next year will not save money, Commissions on Election (Comelec) Chief George Garcia said on Friday, Sept. 2.
In an interview during DZRH’s Dos por Dos, Garcia said if the elections are postponed this year, the poll body’s Php 8.5 billion budget that is reserved for the December BSKE 2022 is not enough.
“Noong isang araw, tayo ay nag submit ng computation sa ating Senado, sa House of Representatives na kung mapo-postpone ang eleksyon at mare-reset ng December 2023, kakailanganin natin ng Php 18 billion,” he said.
If the barangay and SK election is suspended and will be moved to May 2023, Garcia said the poll body will be needing an additional Php 17 billion.
“Mukha pong hindi pwedeng gawing kadahilanan na makatipid [para i-postpone ang eleksyon] dahil may mas dagdag na gastos,” he said.
Garcia explained that if the BSKE will not continue this December, the Comelec will resume the “continuing voter registration.”
He said they estimated that about 3 million individuals will register this year, particularly those aged 14-15 years old who will vote for the SK polls and 18 years old for the Barangay polls.
“Dahil po diyan i-increase po ang number ng botante. Kapag dumami ang botante, dadami rin ang ballot boxes, ballpen, ink, precinct, teachers, and other electoral workers,” he said.
An additional 5 to 7 million newly registered voters are estimated if the barangay and SK election will be held in December 2023.
“Personally, ako po ay always pro-election,” Garcia stressed.
On Aug. 25, the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms during its second meeting approved the bill seeking to postpone the BSKE from the original schedule on Dec. 5, 2022, to Dec. 4, 2023.
Lawmakers from both the Senate and the House separately filed bills seeking to reschedule the December 2022 election, claiming that government would save money and which could be used for financial assistance to aid Filipinos amid the crisis.
