‘Probinsyano’ wins in mock b’gay polls; weaknesses bared

MANILA, Philippines — If the elections were held today, Ang Probinsyano’s “Ricardo Dalisay” would have won hands down as barangay chairman, with “Brandon Cabrera” bagging the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) top post in Tondo, Manila.

But there was a problem – their positions got mixed up.

This was the result of the mock poll conducted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday at the Rosauro Elementary School in Tondo to get a glimpse of possible scenarios that may take place on May 14 during the barangay and SK elections. 

“We want to see what may happen on election day so that we can immediately correct them. We want to make sure that our elections next month will go on smoothly and orderly,” Comelec acting chairman Al Parreno said.

This was also the first time the country is returning to manual polls since the elections were automated in 2010.  

Comelec had used the names of characters in local teledramas as candidates for barangay and SK in the mock ballots. 

For barangay chairman, actor Coco Martin’s character Dalisay won while Mark Anthony Fernandez’ Cabrera bagged the SK top post.  

Parreno said two “key issues” emerged during the mock elections that they have to address.

“One is the management of two ballots because voters aged 18-30 can vote for barangay and SK elections. There are some concerns both from the point of view of the voters and the teachers,” he added.

The Comelec is providing separate but color-coded ballots for the barangay and SK races but some voters interchanged the two ballots.   

During the mock polls, some Comelec officials played the role of hecklers to determine how the teachers, acting as Board of Election Tellers, and policemen would react.

Parreno said they observed the policemen, when called by the teachers for assistance, were hesitant to step inside the polling precincts, thinking they were not allowed inside the polling precinct despite the authority given to them. 

“I think we have to beef up our coordination with the police more. At the same time, we also have to scale up our voter education and the training of our teachers,” he said.  

In Pasay City, some candidates who are eyeing posts in the SK are overaged.

Most of those whose candidacies were denied failed to meet the maximum age requirement, which must be 24 years old by March 14.

Some SK candidates were already 24 years old when they filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Pasay City Comelec’s two district offices.

Because of this, some SK candidates would run unopposed, but this would not be an issue for as long as they get at least one vote, according to Pasay City’s Comelec officials.

As this developed, the Commission on Appointments (CA) is set to start deliberations on the appointment of Court of Appeals Associate Justice Socorro Inting as Comelec commissioner when Congress resumes session next month.

President Duterte has submitted Inting’s appointment papers to the CA, which is composed 24 members from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“The public may submit any information, written report or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions (to the appointment),” CA Secretary Hector Villacorta said in a public notice.

With the appointment, Duterte now has four appointees among the seven Comelec commissioners.

Inting’s appointment is expected to help speed up work in the poll body. – Ghio Ong, Paolo Romero