Ballot printing for May polls unaffected by BARMM election postponement

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified Thursday that the printing of ballots for the national and local elections remains unaffected by the possible postponement of the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary polls.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. certified on Wednesday, 29 January, urgent the bill seeking the postponement of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary polls to October.

This prompted the poll body to delay the printing of 2.3 million ballots allotted for BARMM elections.

"Pero tuloy po yung pag-imprenta ng national ang local elections sa Bangsamoro. Ibig sabihin sa mga kababayan natin sa Bangsamoro, mayroon po kayong halalan 12 Mayo mula senador hanggang sanggunian bayan o sangguniang panlungsod diyan sa inyo (But the printing of national and local elections in the Bangsamoro continues. That means for our countrymen in the Bangsamoro, you will still have an election on 12 May from senator to city council or provincial council)," Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in an ambush interview.

"Ang wala lang po kung sakali, ay ang Bangsamoro parliamentary elections (The only thing that you won't have is Bangsamoro parliamentary elections)," Garcia added.

Meanwhile, Garcia added that if the postponement of the BARMM polls pushes through, teachers who will man the elections will receive a separate honorarium in October.

"Practically po as if magco-conduct ka ng special election sa buong rehiyon (Practically, it's as if we're going to conduct a special election in the entire region)," he added.

Garcia also noted that the Comelec will need at least P2.5 billion if the BARMM polls are rescheduled to a later date.

The Comelec, he added, will then resume the printing of ballots for the BARMM poll in July or August.