ILOILO City – It’s all systems go for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on Monday, Oct. 30, the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Iloilo said yesterday.
“Preparado na gid kita ya. Ginahulat na lang naton ang adlaw sang election kag adlaw sang amon deployment sa mga tawo,” said Atty. Reinier Layson, Provincial Election Supervisor and concurrent City Election Officer.
Layson also said measures by partnered government agencies are in place, including the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Fire Protection, which will serve as security forces.
Teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd)-Iloilo who will serve as electoral board members are also awaiting deployment.
“We are only praying, of course, for fair weather on Monday, para indi man mabudlayan ang aton electoral board members and mga botante sa pagkadto sa voting centers,” added Layson.
Mock Elections
The Comelec headed by Layson held a mock election yesterday afternoon at the Iloilo Central Elementary School, where members of the media served as participants.
Also present were personnel of the Iloilo City Police Office and Schools Division Office of Iloilo City.
Noredith S. Pagcalingawan, Election Officer III of Tigbauan and Sharon Joy Alolod, Election Officer III of New Lucena, served as electoral board members. Alice Bernadette Naranjo, Election Officer IV of Passi City, acted as chairperson.
During the mock elections, some issues and concerns were encountered, including ineligible written names of candidates and the wrong ballot type filled out.
“During sang appreciation of ballots, damo siguro na-witness ninyo nga indi mabasa ang sulat and others nagsulat sang names sang indi candidates or wala sa list of official candidates. But rest assured kami nga election officers have already conducted our briefing and lectures sa aton nga teachers, and all the teachers have been appraised kag very well-versed on appreciation on ballots. Gin-train naton sila and confident kami nga ang teachers makasabat gid maski ano nga reklamo during sang appreciation of ballots in the elections,” said Naranjo.
Meanwhile, Layson said the mock elections serve as a simulation exercise that shows what circumstances to expect and as an assurance of their readiness.
“Gintudloan sila [electoral boards] naton kon paano i-apply ang rules nga ini sa mga sitwasyon sa pag-conduct sa pag-isip sang balota. Ang pinaka-importante nga rule sa appreciation sang ballot nga we have to ascertain we know ang intent sang aton botante kay amo gid na importante. Kay gusto naton nga kon sin-o gid ang ila botohon amo na ang ma-count,” Layson added.
With this, the Comelec reminded voters 18 to 30 years old that they would be given two official ballots – one for SK (printed in red) and one for barangay (printed in black).
Voters aged 15 to 17 get one ballot for SK, while voters aged 31 and above only get one for the barangay election.
Further, since the elections are manual, Layson and Naranjo urged voters to prepare and bring their guide list of candidates.
Voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. only.
In the event that a polling place still has a long line of voters by 3 p.m., as long as they are within the precinct’s 30-meter radius, the poll clerk will list their names and allow them to cast votes even past the voting hours.
After being listed and given the number, the poll clerk will call out the voter’s name three times to enter and vote.
If they fail or cannot enter the polling precinct after their name has been called three times, they will not be allowed to vote at any later time.
And if by 3 p.m. there are no more registered voters, the electoral boards can declare “voting closed” and proceed with the counting.
“Gina-encourage nga mag-early kadto sa polling centers, and kon puede magdala sang kodigo or list of the names of the candidates nga gusto nila nga iboto. Gina-encourage naton ina kay para ma-expedite ang pagbotohay,” added Naranjo.
During the mock elections, some scenarios were created, including one voter acting as a blind person allowed to bring his assistor, provided they are within the fourth degree of affinity of consanguinity.
There is also an individual who presented himself as a registered voter but whose name was not found in the certified voters’ list; thus, he was not allowed to vote and was directed to go to the concerned municipal or city election officer to verify./PN
