Barangay and SK polls today: Provisions set in case of delay

CEBU, Philippines – Due to the delays in the shipment of the official ballots, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) prepared a resolution authorizing election officers to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in their areas to Tuesday.

The said resolution of the poll body was to take effect for towns or cities where the election materials would not arrive by 12 noon today.

The proposed resolution was circulated in the regional offices of the Comelec late afternoon yesterday.

The resolution seeks to hand over to election officers, of towns that will receive the election supplies later than 12 noon today, the discretion to hold the elections on the same day or postpone it tomorrow.

Veronico Petalcorin, acting director of Comelec Region 7 said that as of 6 p.m. yesterday, the resolution has not been signed by the members of the commission except for Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal.

Petalcorin said that they expect all the commissioners to sign the resolution by last midnight if they will see that deliveries could not make it on time in some areas.

The case is not however much of a problem in Cebu as election paraphernalia are expected to reach their respective precincts on time.

As of 6 p.m., the Comelec office in Cebu City has received 34 of the 38 items needed for the polls. Not all were distributed immediately as they still need to be segregated by the City Treasurer's Office and would be handed over at dawn.

There are a total of 1,536 precincts in Cebu City, which are broken down to 1,438 for the barangay elections and 98 for the SK.

City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva said that supplies that they were not able to distribute yesterday will be delivered dawn today together with the official ballots.

The CTO has designated six Kaohsiung buses, seven multi-cabs and four dump trucks to deliver the supplies.

Petalcorin said that according to the law, the original deadline for distribution of supplies and other paraphernalia is until 5 am today so city BETs need not worry.

He, however, said that it could have been better if all supplies have been distributed a day or two before the elections so that teachers will not have to stay late in preparation for the whole day of election and possible late night canvassing.

Even if teachers render extra time, their honorarium will remain at P2,000 for each BET. There will be, however, an additional P2,000 for BETs, who will handle the canvassing for the entire barangay and additional P500 for BETs who will handle the canvassing for SK elections of the barangay.

The Cebu City government approved the P2 million budget request of Comelec, which means an additional P500 allowance of teachers who will serve in the elections.

Petalcorin said that they will also request other local government units in the Region on behalf of the teachers.

The regional director of the Comelec also said yesterday that the power companies have assured of stable supply today. Nevertheless the Comelec has given instructions to those who will serve in the elections to bring emergency lighting like flashlights.

Voting centers will be open at 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Precincts that will receive their supplies late may extend up to 5 p.m. After the closing time, only voters within 30 meters from the precinct will be accommodated.

Voters are reminded to prepare a list of the candidates they have chosen. They are advised to vote one barangay Captain and seven councilmen.

Provincial Situationer

After at least three days of waiting, municipalities got the paraphernalia for today's elections.

The provincial treasurer's office was able to dispatch all election paraphernalia through the municipal treasurers and election officers at around 7 p.m. yesterday when all items from Manila arrived.

These include official ballots for barangay and SK, election return forms, tally sheet, paper and metal seal, certificates of votes, certificates of receipts of the official ballots and other forms and envelopes needed by the Board of Election Inspectors and Board of Canvassers; supplies such as carbon paper, bond paper, ballot secrecy folders, indelible stain ink, marking pens, ballpens, padlocks, thumbprint or fingerprint takers and self-locking fixed-length seals.

The delay has blamed on the Comelec bids and awards committee that was not constituted until September because some of the members inhibited themselves from the body.

Provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said that the committee should have been formed as early as August.

Because of the delay, the bidding and procurement of materials was also delayed.

Castillano said that delay in the start of the voting in some municipalities in the province of Cebu is possible.

Election paraphernalia have to be segregated upon arrival at the town hall for distribution to barangays until this morning.

Municipal treasurer Analiza Booc of Poro, Camotes Island told The FREEMAN last night that they will try their best to start the voting by 9:00 this morning.

Booc waited for the election materials since Friday. She said that she has to catch up the 10 p.m. boat trip to Camotes from Danao City, which is expected to arrive this 3 a.m.

The same is the case for other ties in the outlying islands of Cebu.

Municipal treasurers Charlita Sequiño of Bantayan and Fe Pabualan of Madridejos both expressed disappointment of the situation. "Unsaon ta man nga trabaho man ni," they told The FREEMAN.

A boat of the Bantay Dagat of Sta. Fe town fetched the election materials including that of Bantayan and Madridejos in Hagnaya wharf in the town of San Remigio.

"Ang problema namo ani ang paghatud sa mga gamit sa mga isla nga barangay," Sequiño said. 

Most municipal treasurers and election officers expressed that it was the first time in serving several elections that municipalities in the Province of Cebu got the election paraphernalia 12 hours before the official voting time begins. -/NLQ (FREEMAN)