Comelec on Barangay & SK polls: No time, too costly

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said that the body has decided not to push through with its plan to automate the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the consensus of the commission en banc is not to push through with it.

The Barangay and SK elections will be held on October 28.

“We will not automate, we decided that it is not feasible. It was a consensus. Wala naman nag-insist na,” he said.

He said that aside from they need more time to prepare, automating the village and youth elections will be costly. However, he did not specify the amount.

“Wala nang time tsaka magastos masyado 'pag automated. We need time,” Brillantes said.

The poll body was planning to pilot test the automated election system (AES), but it will not be nationwide. The initial plan was to use a number of Precinct Count Optical Scan machines in a limited number of polling precincts.

“Among the areas we are looking involve the entire Metro Manila or just one city in Metro Manila, either biggest or smallest city,” Brillantes said earlier.