Comelec to suspend voter education campaign

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will temporarily stop holding the voter education campaign in order to focus on the preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in May.

The poll body will hold fewer “Know Elections Better” (KEB) seminars in the coming weeks, according to Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.

“KEBs is a continuing voter education campaign. (But) we may ramp down during the elections and will resume after,” Jimenez said.

“This is to allow Comelec personnel to focus on the BSKE2018 activities,” he added, referring to the barangay and SK elections 2018.

The election period is from April to May 21.

The Comelec will also prohibit the holding of KEBs to prevent them from becoming platforms for partisan political activities.

“Any request by barangay officials to hold KEBs will be considered after the barangay elections,” Jimenez said.

The Comelec has been conducting KEBs, mostly for pre- and first-time voters, since January.

Candidates’ resumé

Meanwhile, a proposal requiring candidates of the barangay and SK elections to submit their resumé has been supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) urged the Comelec to require candidates to submit at least a one-page resumé highlighting their qualifications.

DILG Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the  proposal would complement a DILG campaign dubbed “Matino, Mahusay at Maaasahang Barangay and SK officials.”

The campaign aims to encourage voters and the public to choose leaders who are competent, efficient and reliable.

“We support the proposal as the election is not a mere game that is open for everyone to join. We should determine every candidate’s capability to serve,” Malaya said.

He said the government needs good leaders who could bring the administration’s agenda of change down to the barangay level.

Malaya expressed confidence the Comelec would consider the merits of Namfrel’s proposal. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe