Comelec prepares for 2025 polls automation

By Stephanie Sevillano 

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it will study and prepare for a possible automation of two elections in 2025 following the ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) greenlighting the holding of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).  
     During the Laging Handa public briefing, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia cited a possible tweak to its initial plans, especially in organizing a wider scale of automation.
     "Mukhang magdadagdag po at magkaroon tayo ng dagdag na budget para diyan at kinakailangan na pong pagdesisyunan kung ang December 2025 BSKE ay kailangan na rin nating gawing automated. Siyempre, magkakaroon po ng dagdag na gastos para diyan (It seems there should be additional and we will have a supplementary budget for that, and [we] need to decide whether the 2025 BSKE shall be also automated or not. Of course, it would entail an additional expense for that)," he said. 
     Garcia said two automated elections during the year appear to have advantages in the poll body's preparation. 
    "Dahil mas napagaan nga po hindi po parang, kapag from the point of view of planning, para mas maganda kung nag-automate ka ng national and local election ng Mayo, mas magandang automated na rin po iyong BSKE ng December 2025 (Because it will become more convenient. From a planning point of view, it's better that if you automate May's national and local elections, it's also better to have an automated BSKE in December 2025)," he said. 
    The Comelec, meanwhile, said it is planning to pilot test automated BSKE in District 6 in Quezon City and Dasmariñas, Cavite on Oct. 30. 
    According to the poll body, if the pilot test becomes "very successful," succeeding BSKE may be also automated.
    Garcia, however, admitted that the planning and preparation may be challenging considering the recently issued ruling of the SC on the BSKE. 
    "Sa part po ng Comelec, medyo mas mabigat po iyong aming gagawing paghahanda sapagkat papatak po na dalawa ang eleksiyon na gagawin ng Comelec sa 2025 -- iyon pong May 2025 national and local elections na automated at pagkatapos po iyong December na Barangay and SK Elections po na sinasabi ng ating Korte Suprema (On the part of Comelec, the preparations will be heavier because there are two elections to be done in 2025  -- the May 2025 automated national and local elections and then the December Barangay and SK elections as cited by the SC)," he said. 
    The SC earlier issued its ruling declaring unconstitutional Republic Act 11935, the law which postponed the holding of the BSKE from the original schedule of Dec. 5, 2022 to Oct. 30, 2023. 
    It also ruled that the BSK polls must be conducted on the first Monday of December 2025, and every three years thereafter. -- PNA