The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is ramping up preparations for three major electoral exercises this year, including the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, the special congressional election in Cavite's 4th District, and the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said he was satisfied with the outcome of coordination meetings with police and other stakeholders following visits to Zamboanga City and Cotabato, where preparations for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections are underway.

Garcia said the poll body held extensive discussions with the Philippine National Police and other stakeholders to ensure peaceful, orderly, and credible elections in the region.

"This year, we will conduct three electoral exercises," Garcia said, referring to the 29 August special congressional election in Cavite's 4th District, the BARMM parliamentary elections in September, and the BSKE in November.

The Comelec en banc earlier set 29 August as the date of the special congressional election to fill the seat vacated by former Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga following his expulsion from the House of Representatives.

Garcia said the poll body is moving swiftly to coordinate preparations with key government agencies after finalizing the election date.

The coordination meeting tackled operational, logistical, and security requirements for the special election, with representatives from the Philippine National Police and the Department of Education participating in the discussions.

Garcia said inter-agency cooperation is essential to ensuring a credible and orderly electoral process, adding that security preparations remain a priority to guarantee a peaceful voting environment.

He also clarified that Barzaga remains eligible to run in the special election because his removal from office was administrative in nature and did not involve a criminal conviction carrying the penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.