ILOILO City – For the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections scheduled this Dec. 5, voters’ registration commences this July.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may release the registration guidelines next month, said Atty. Wilfred Jay Balisado, regional director.
“I think the window na puede tayong mag-register will be in July and August. If my memory serves me right, 90 days before election wala nang registration kasi magpe-prepare na ang Comelec,” said Balisado.
The Comelec preparation for the barangay and SK polls may be more tedious than the recent national and local elections, said Balisado, due to the sheer number of candidates for barangay captain and councilmen, and barangay SK chairman and councilors.
There are 42,046 barangays throughout the Philippines, which means the same number of barangay captains must be elected.
Also, a barangay council has seven village councilmen plus the chairman of the barangay SK. Thus, there are eight members of the legislative council in a barangay.
Balisado also expects intense political rivalry in the barangay elections.
He urged those not yet registered to do so.
“Kasi may two months lang tayo to register,”said Balisado./PN
