Commission on Elections chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Friday said that the poll body is still prepared for the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in October next year.

Garcia said that resources related to the polls will be delivered before the end of the year.

However, the poll body chief did not directly address the recent combined petition filed by Atty. Romulo Macalintal and Atty. Alberto Hidalgo before the Supreme Court on Monday, asking the High Court to resume the Barangay and SK elections at a much earlier date in May 2023.

Garcia clarified that the current planning and activities related to the Barangay and SK elections do not support a possible conduct of the polls at a date earlier than October next year, as indicated in Republic Act 11935.