Comelec 90% ready for 2023 BSKE —spox

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now 90% ready to hold the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), which is set on October 30, its spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said Tuesday.

“Binabalita ko po sa inyo na 90% mahigit na po na handa ang Comelec (I am reporting that the Comelec is over 90% ready for the 2023 BSKE),” Laudiangco said at a televised briefing.

He also added that around 60 million of the 66 million ballots for the barangay elections and 20 million of the 23 million ballots for SK elections have been printed.

Aside from this, Laudiangco said that other materials such as pens, indelible inks, folders, and accountable forms are also ready for the polls.

Meanwhile, Laudianco said that they are still waiting for the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) on the appeal against the October 30 schedule of the 2023 BSKE.

In November 2022, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal asked the Supreme Court (SC) to direct the Comelec to prepare for the conduct of the next barangay and youth polls in May 2023.

Macalintal made the pleading in his urgent motion asking the High Court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order or a Status Quo Ante Order on the implementation of the law postponing the December 5 barangay and youth council polls to October 2023.

Macalintal cited Comelec's manifestation filed before the SC that the earliest possible date to hold the barangay and youth council polls with the passage of the law postponing the same is on May 2023.

According to Laudianco, the Comelec is ready to hold the elections even in May as the ballot requirements are expected to be completed this February. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News