Comelec to use cartons in lieu of ballot boxes

Carton boxes as ballot boxes.

This could be the option of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) if only to push through with the scheduled synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on July 15.

Comelec Executive Director Mamasapunod Aguam said the Comelec might use carton boxes due to the scarcity of ballot boxes.

"Gagamit kami ng karton na lalagyan ng paninda. Lalagyan na lamang ng masking tape para matiyak ang seguridad nito (We will use carton boxes used for different products for sale. We wil place masking tape to secure them)," said Aguam.

He said that carton boxes are now being used as ballot boxes in Australia where there is no cheating in the conduct of their elections. This Aguam said as he revealed the scarcity of 89,000 ballot boxes for the upcoming SK and barangay elections. He attributed the lack of ballot boxes to the increase in the number of polling precincts which was last listed at 210,000.

While there may be other ballot boxes in the Comelec, Aguam clarified that they cannot be opened nor touched. He pointed out that these ballot boxes contained contested ballots. Therefore, he said, it is only the courts which can order the opening of these contested ballot boxes.

He said the government will need a total of P66,750,000 to buy 89,000 metal ballot boxes which cost P750 each.

He lamented though the government has no money intended for this purpose. In fact, he said the government only gave P1.2 billion of the P1.8 billion being requested by the poll body to bankroll the barangay elections. The Comelec has yet to get the funding for the SK elections, which Commissioner Resurreccion Borra earlier said was already discussed with the government. — Sandy Araneta