WITH the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) just a week away, over 100 more areas have been placed under the “red” category Areas of Concern by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Based on the latest list released by the Comelec, there are now 361 areas under the “red” category as of October 20.
This means that 119 more barangays are now under the highest of the four-category system of the Comelec from only 242 last September 20.
But such a development, according to Comelec – Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) head Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, is expected.
“Historically, as Election Day draws closer, the rivalries intensify, especially during the campaign period,” said Ferolino in a previous statement.
“There is a possibility that those under ‘yellow’ can be escalated to ‘orange’ or ‘red’ depending on the security situation in the areas,” she added.
Aside from the “red” category, Comelec said there are also 14 additional areas under the “orange” category, increasing to 1,257 (September 20) from 1,271 (October 20).
Those in the “yellow” category went up by 122 barangays, according to the poll body.
From 1,077 areas last September 20, there are now 1,199 “yellow” areas as of October 20.
In contrast, those under the “green” category dropped by 255 barangays. This means there are only 39,170 “green” barangays as of October 20, from 39,425 areas as of September 20.
Under the Comelec classification, “green” areas are those with no security concerns or are relatively peaceful and orderly.
Considered as “yellow” areas are those with occurrence of suspected election-related incidents in the last two elections provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups; existence of intense partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups; possible employment of partisan armed groups by candidates in the area; occurrence of politically motivated incidents in the current election period provided there is no participation of domestic terror groups; or the area has been previously declared under Comelec Control.
Classified under the “orange” category are those with a combination of two or more factors under Category Yellow; or there are serious armed threats posed by the communist terrorist groups, and other analogous threat groups declared by a competent authority.
As for the “red” category, Comelec said these are areas with the existence of one or more factors described under Category Yellow, together with serious armed threats posed by communist terrorist groups, and other analogous threat groups declared by the competent authority under Category Orange; or declaration by other government agencies concerned that one of the grounds for the declaration of Comelec Control exists.
Previously, the Commission already placed Negros Oriental under Comelec Control for the 2023 BSKE due to previous violent incidents in the province, including the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo last March.
The Municipality of Libon in Albay is set to be placed under Comelec Control, according to poll chief George Garcia.
This means there are now two areas in the province under the direct supervision of the poll body.
“Negros Oriental and Libon in Albay. So far, those are the two areas under Comelec Control,” said Garcia.
In a phone interview, the poll chief said the declaration will be made official today, Monday.
Garcia said the decision is anchored on the recommendation of the PNP, Armed Forces, and local Comelec offices.
“They recommended that the entire town, not just specific barangays, be placed under Comelec Control,” said Garcia.
Last August, Garcia already said they were considering placing Libon, Albay under “Comelec Control” after a candidate for barangay chairman and an incumbent barangay kagawad in the same barangay were slain just a week apart.
DEPED MOVES
The Department of Education has created a task force and an operations and monitoring center for the October 30 elections.
In a memorandum order dated October 18, the department said the 2023 DepEd Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election Task Force Operation and Monitoring Center “shall join the Comelec Command Center starting at 1 p.m. on October 29, 2023, and ending at 5 p.m. on October 30, 2023.”
The task force and operation and monitoring center will be headed by Undersecretary Revsee Escobido and lawyer Suzette Ganaban-Medina as chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively.
Escobedo and Medina have been tasked to create committees and appoint their respective chairs and vice chairs to operationalize the task force and operation and monitoring center.
“The creation of such committees and the appointment of their respective chairs and vice chairs shall be created immediately to ensure DepEd preparedness for the 2023 BSKE,” said the memorandum order signed by Undersecretary Michael Poa.
It also tasked the DepEd regional, schools and city division offices to establish their own BSKE operations and monitoring centers.
Poa said the main functions of the task force and the operations and monitoring center includes the following:
- To document and report all teacher and school-related issues and concerns before, during, and after the elections.
- Ensure that teachers are provided with/and or referred to adequate information, and technical and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board.
- Serve as DepEd institutional link to volunteer organizations and individuals.
- Provide close coordination and consultation among DepEd, Comelec, and partner agencies involved in the BSKE.
- Complement the other agencies’ efforts for an honest, orderly and peaceful elections.
The task force is also directed to ensure that funds are provided to assist in the reported concerns from the field and the conduct of field monitoring.
Public schools are being utilized as voting centers during the BSKE elections, with classrooms serving as polling precincts.
Poa said 494,662 public school teachers will be deployed for the polls.
Earlier, Comelec chief George Garcia said the teachers who will be deployed for the polls will receive an honorarium of P9,000 for electoral board chairs to P10,000 for board members, higher than the P5,000 to P6,000 proposed honoraria. — With Ashzel Hachero
