MABALACAT CITY —Indigenous people (IP) have registered for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections at the Commission on Elections registration caravan held in Barangay Calumpang here on Aug. 1.
The IPs who registered are from Barangays Macapagal Village, Marcos Village, and Calumpang where registration began at 7 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m.
Comelec chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia said that they are targeting at least 100,000 IPs nationwide to register within 10 days.
Mayor Gerald Guttrie Aquino thanked the Comelec for the convenience given to the indigenous people to register.
The registration is until August 10 and there are Comelec satellites to facilitate the anytime-anywhere registration to encourage many Filipinos to register and vote in the BSKE 2025.
Garcia reminded the public that there will be no extension for new registrants and they are targeting an additional 1 million new voters.
After the 10-day registration period, Garcia said they will ensure that new registrants do not have double or triple entry in the Comelec system.
He said that the Comelec will continue in its preparations for the BSKE 2025 until Malacanang makes an official proclamation for the cancellation of the said election.
Garcia explained that their preparations will continue despite information that President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. is set to sign the law stipulating the postponement of the said elections to next year.
He further explained that even if the law was signed, there’s still a possibility that it will be questioned in the Supreme Court and in case of a temporary restraining order issued, the Comelec will not be able to prepare for the elections.
The filing of candidacy could happen in the third week of August and there will be printing of 2.3 million ballots for the Bangsamoro and the ballot for BSKE will also be printed, according to Garcia.
And in the first week of November, materials will be distributed to various parts of the country for the December 1 BSKE.
Meanwhile, DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla announced that President Marcos is ready to sign the bill to postpone BSKE 2025.
The Palace has not yet confirmed Remulla’s statement, while Garcia also said that they have not received any official announcement from Malacanang that PBBM will sign the said law.
Under the bill, the terms of barangay and sangguniang kabataan officials will be extended by four years and the election is set in November 2026.
