Breathing spell from politics

Barely over and done with the just concluded May 12 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is already gearing up to conduct the next polls taking place in our country five months from now. Set on Oct. 1 this year, the seven-man poll body has started preparations for the first ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, or BPE for brevity’s sake.

And if the outgoing 19th Congress fails to pass into law the proposed bill on amending the present three-year term of office of barangay officials, Comelec will also proceed to prepare for the holding of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on Dec. 1 this year. The BSKE was last held in October 2023.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, Comelec Chairman George Garcia disclosed he has requested from the Executive branch the release of a P2.7-billion budget so they could start preparations for the BPE. Like the midterm elections, Garcia announced the BPE will also be using the same automated election system (AES) provided by Miru of South Korea. And since the Comelec only has a “rental” contract with Miru, it will be a “repeat order” for the 7,000 AES machines that will be distributed to each of the polling precincts in the BARMM provinces, the Comelec chief elaborated.

Speaking for the Comelec, Garcia is excited for the BPE which, for the first time, will print out ballots that will contain three new features. Foremost of which, he cited, the ballots will have the photos of each candidate. Second, the official logo representing each political party appears on the ballots. And third, an item for “none of the above” is added at the end of the list of choices of candidates in the ballot, Garcia gushed.

Although there are only nine regional political parties that will participate in the BPE, Garcia pointed out the Comelec is looking to finalize the list of candidates by July. After which, the Comelec will start printing of the ballots by August and distribute election paraphernalia by September.

But Garcia clarified the Comelec is still waiting for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) – the existing legislative body of the BARMM – to approve and pass the measure on the new composition of the 80-man parliamentary body that will replace it.

This is in compliance with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that led to the reallocation of the seven seats for Sulu after it opted out of the BARMM. In his meeting earlier this week with BARMM officials, Garcia revealed he was reassured the BTA would be able to come up with the legislative measure on the reallocation of the seven seats. With Sulu out, the BARMM now consists of the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and the newly divided Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. BARMM also includes three component cities and 63 barangays that were previously part of North Cotabato.

Garcia conceded the Comelec may also need to re-open the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) in areas to be affected by the reallocation of seven seats from Sulu and print ballots for 2.3 million voters from the region.

At the same time that the Comelec is preparing for the BPE, the poll body is also bracing for the conduct of the BSKE. Not unless a law postponing the BSKE is enacted, Garcia added. Since the SC has ruled before as unconstitutional the resetting of BSKE, there is a prospective new law to amend the term of office for all barangay officials that will require resetting of the scheduled polls.

The proposed law is on an advanced stage at the legislative mill. The Senate and the House of Representatives have respectively approved bills on the proposed new term of office for BSKE officials. Both bills sought to amend Sections 42 and 43 of Republic Act (RA) 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991. However, Garcia noted, the two measures will still have to be reconciled due to differing versions on the length of term of office – either four or six years.

Garcia pointed out only barangay officials are exempted from the fixed term of office of all elected officials under our country’s 1987 Constitution. The Comelec looks forward to the consolidated version to be approved when sessions of the 19th Congress resume on June 2.

Under the approved version of Senate Bill 2816, “the term of office of all elected barangay officials and members of the SK shall be four years.” The bill also states that the next regular BSKE “shall be held on the first Monday of October 2027 and every four years thereafter.” Once passed into law, all incumbent barangay officials and members of the SK shall remain in office. Incumbent elective barangay officials serving their third consecutive term in the same position shall not be eligible to run for the same position in the October 2027 BSKE.

On the other hand, House Bill 11287 proposed to set synchronized BSKE every six years on the second Monday of May starting in 2029. It also seeks to impose a term limit of two consecutive terms for barangay officials and a one-term limit for SK officials. It also includes a transitory provision allowing barangay and SK officials elected in October 2023 to remain in office until the May 2029 elections unless removed or suspended for cause.

The Comelec Chairman hopes the bicameral conference committee would submit the final version for ratification in plenary before both chambers of the 19th Congress adjourn sessions sine die on June 13. And, most especially, Garcia stressed, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) will sign it into law.

These election preparation timeframes will be met sooner than later, the Comelec Chairman wished.

In fairness to the men and women of the Comelec, they just did a good job in this election. As the President himself echoed, we need a breathing spell from toxic politics.