Barangay Election Guidelines

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls set for October 25, 2010, will be back to manual balloting.

For the October 25 elections, we will use the traditional ballots where the voters manually write the names of the candidates they want to vote for as in previous elections, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said.

He said the Comelec en banc decided to revert to the traditional manual type of ballot instead of using a pre-printed ballot due to time constraints.

“The proposal to do the shading of names was discussed. However, there is no time to do that since you have to verify the names of the candidates, print out the ballots… it would be difficult,” said Larrazabal.

The Comelec also announced that the filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) for the October 25 polls will be from October 1 to October 13, 2010.

Section 7 of the Barangay Election Act of 1982 states that “no person shall be eligible to be a barangay official unless he is a citizen of the Philippines; a registered voter and actual resident of the barangay for at least six months immediately preceding the election; is able to read and write; is at least 21 years of age on the date of the election; and who is not otherwise disqualified by law.”

Filing will be done with the Secretary of the Barangay Council who, in turn, has the ministerial duty to receive and acknowledge the CoC filed.

The campaign period, however, will be from October 14 to October 23 for both for barangay and SK candidates.

Comelec Resolution 9019 also set the election period beginning on September 25 until November 10.

Prohibited acts during the election period include alteration of precincts, establishment of new precincts, illegal release of prisoners, carrying of firearms, maintenance of private armies, transfer of public employees, suspension of public officials, and the use of personnel security or bodyguards.

Barangay at SK balik sa manu- manong bilangan

Balik sa manu-mano ang halalan sa Oktubre 25 para sa Barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections matapos aprubahan ng poll en banc ang paggamit ng ‘manual ballot’ sa halip na pre-printed ballots na ginamit noong May 10 elections.


Naniniwala si Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal na mas paborable sa mga botante ang paggamit ng tradisyunal na ballot-type dahil ito na ang nakagawian.


Sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na magbibilog sa “bilog na hugis itlog” ang mga botante, sa halip manu-manong isusulat sa balota ang pangalan ng kanilang napupusuang kandidato.


“It’s lime the old times. In fact mas kapado ito ng mga botante since once pa lang naman tayo gumamit ng pre-printed ballots dahil sa automation. Now balik tayo sa dati,” ani Larrazabal.


Aminado ang Comelec na kinapos na sila ng panahon para itulak ang paggamit ng pre-shaded ballots dahil kailangan pang i-verify ang pangalan ng mga kandidato bago iimprenta ang mga balota.


“Mas madali na ito. Ang iimprenta na lang sa balota ay ‘yung positions at kung ilan ang elective positions. Kasi kapag pre-printed ballot ang gagamitin natin, of course kailangan maaga ‘yung filing ng certificate of candidacy (COC) para may idea tayo kung sino ang mga tatakbo. Kung ganito ang gagawin natin, kapos na kapos na tayo sa oras because next month na ‘yung election day,” giit ng opisyal.


Samantala, iginagayak na rin ng komisyon ang pagpapatawag ng bidding para sa supplies na gagamitin sa Oktubre 25.