Loss of billions in resources, complications cited
IF BARANGAY, SK ELECTIONS ARE POSTPONED
UNLESS Congress orders postponement anew, the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled on October 23, it’s all systems go for the local offices of the Commission on Elections in Pangasinan.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Marino Salas said there are 2.4 million voters in Pangasinan, increasing by close to 80,000 from the number of voters in the 2016 polls.
Of the number, at least 1.7 million are voting in the barangay elections and another 691.949 in the Sangguniang Kabataan election.
He said under the law, the SK members are those from 15 to 30 years old. However, only those from 18 to 25 years old can run or aspire for SK positions.
Salas admitted that to date, they have not received the guidelines on whether or not those from 18 to 30 years old who are SK members can also vote in the barangay elections.
He said that personally he wants the election to be held as scheduled on October 23 for people to be given the chance to choose their own set of barangay and SK officials who will rule their communities for another three years.
Meanwhile, Dagupan City Election officer Erickson Oganiza said billions in resources will be wasted if Congress again decides to postpone it to coincide with the 2019 elections.
In Dagupan City, there are 108, 478 regular voters while the number of registered SK members are 41,273.
He said they are now checking the list for possible errors as part of their preparations for the coming barangay and SK elections.
Oganiza also pointed to a complication that will arise if Congress decides to pass a law resetting the election in May next year to coincide with planned referendum on federalism.
He cited the case of qualified SK voters who will be made to vote twice.
Oganiza said it will pose a big problem to the Comelec since it will be the first time in the history of the country that voters, specifically those 18 to 30 years old, can vote twice. (Leonardo Micua)
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