(Eagle News) – The nationwide voters’ registration for the scheduled May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections started on Thursday, August 1, 2019, amid the uncertainty of the elections pushing through.
President Rodrigo Duterte himself during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) had called for the postponement of the 2020 barangay and SK elections, noting that there was not enough time for the incumbent barangay and SK officials to complete their projects. He said he wants the polls to be moved to October 2022.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said this could have an impact on the number of registrants for this voters’ registration which started on August 1 and which will end on September 30, 2019.
Comelec stressed that there would be no extension of the deadline.
“Yung paniniwalang di matutuloy ang halalan ay magkakaron yun ng impact sa dami ng magpaparehistro yung mga kabataan. Unfortunately isa yan sa nakikita natin kapag walang kaaiguruhan ang darating na halalan ay medyo nababa ang dami ng magpaparehistro,” said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.
He admitted that the Comelec’s preparations for the barangay and SK polls were somehow slowed down with the recent pronouncement of the President.
“Obviously, hindi kami pwedeng mag-stop ng preparations. So everything slows down a little bit until we get that law passed or signed by the President,” Jimenez said.
Those who want to register can go to the Comelec offices in their area from Monday to Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., even on holidays.
Divina Blas-Perez, director of the COMELEC election and barangays department, said that more than 2 million new regular voters and some 1.2 million additional SK voters are expected to register during the two-month registration period.
The Comelec will also hold special satellite registration for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, indigenous peoples, and those in jail whose cases are still pending.
(with a report from Madelyn Villar-Moratillo, Eagle News Service)
