The Philippine Online Chronicles

The upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will not be automated, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

According to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, it would be difficult and impractical for the poll body to automate the upcoming elections, as they are already preparing to automate the 2013 midterm elections.

“If we are automating the 2013 national elections, which we need to do, what would then be our remaining preparation period if we also have to conduct an automated barangay elections in 2012,” said Jimenez.

“Unlike in other elections, there is no need for consolidation in barangay elections, so the winner can be proclaimed very fast. It’s not really worth to automate it,” he added.

Jimenez also said that the automation of barangay and SK elections would be unlikely even if it is postponed to 2012, as some members of Congress are suggesting.

According to Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who heads the Senate committee on local government, 11 measures have already been filed in both the Senate and House of Representatives seeking to postpone the October elections.

Among these is a bill filed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri to postpone the barangay and SK elections for two years due to budgetary constraints.

“We will be submitting our position paper that contains possible scenario if we will postpone the October elections and hold an automated barangay elections in 2012. We believe our senators are reasonable enough to understand that it is not possible,” said Jimenez.

Comelec chairman Jose Melo however said that the poll body is “neutral” on the proposed postponement.

"Comelec is actually neutral at this point. We do not like to comment one way or another," he said. He added that Comelec is prepared to facilitate manual elections should the elections push through in October.