The Commission on Elections has regarded the conduct of the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections as a milestone for the poll body as it was by far more peaceful and successful compared to previous elections.
And while the poll body admitted that it was not flawless as incidents of violence and deaths were reported, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia still called it a relatively tranquil election.
One of the main achievements of the Comelec is enabling persons deprived of liberty or PDLs to exercise their right of suffrage during the 2023 BSKE, which garnered praise from the international sectors.
Garcia stressed that the PDLs are Filipinos and the ones who participated in the elections still do not have final judgment or conviction.
The poll body chair also said that campaign grounds have become more stringent as it signed a memorandum of agreement against vote buying and vote selling on 2 October with the Public Attorney's Office.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, the Comelec sanctioned 341 BSKE candidates for illegal campaigning as of 21 October, for not complying with the allowable sizes for election materials, 8.5 x 14 inches for flyers, 2 x 3 feet for tarpaulins, and 3 x 8 feet for streamers.
The Comelec also established an Anti-Epal Task Force to combat candidates engaging in unlawful practices against the Omnibus Election Code.
Through the Task Force's efforts, thousands of candidates were issued Show Cause Orders, and hundreds were disqualified. This showcases the Comelec's firm stance during the election period, showing their commitment to promoting peaceful and organized elections in the country.
Meanwhile, focusing on the voter's welfare, the Comelec launched its first mall-voting initiative for a more convenient election. During the mall voting, voters enjoyed a peaceful atmosphere in an air-conditioned lounge.
About 60,000 registered voters exercised their rights across 11 malls during the BSKE as Garcia stressed that the initiative is also a way for the Comelec to preserve the schools from getting wrecked during elections.
The year 2023 also saw the poll body disqualifying the country's long-term partner in elections, the Smartmatic Corp. amid the petition filed by former Department of Information and Communications Technology chief Eliseo Mijares Rio Jr., Augusto Cadelina Lagman, Franklin Fayloga Ysaac and Leonardo Olivera Odono on 15 June.