LESS than three months before the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday announced it will hold today mock polls using the automated election systems (AES) in Dasmariñas City in Cavite and in Quezon City.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the mock polls is part of the poll body’s preparations for the pilot testing of the AES in the October 30 BSKE.
“We want to know if automation is really feasible for the Comelec in the BSKE,” Garcia said.
Mock elections shall be held in Barangay Paliparan III and Barangay Zone II in Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
In particular, the activity will be held in Pintong Gubat Elementary School, Brgy. Paliparan III; Paliparan Elementary School, Brgy. Paliparan III; and Dasmariñas Elementary School, P. Campos Avenue, Brgy. Zone II.
It will also be tried out in Barangay Pasong Tamo in the sixth district of Quezon City.
The Comelec has picked the Pasong Tamo Elementary School in Tandang Sora Avenue and Judge Feliciano Belmonte Sr. High School at AFP Road in Garcia Heights, Barangay Holy Spirit as sites for the mock polls.
The Comelec said the simulated polls will be held from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The Comelec is set to pilot test the automated election system in Barangays Zone II Poblacion and Paliparan III in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, and in Barangay Pasong Tamo in the sixth district of Quezon City during this year’s barangay and youth elections.
Meanwhile, Garcia also said some 300,000 registered voters, especially from vulnerable sectors, are projected to benefit from the pilot testing of the mall voting during the BSKE.
In an interview at the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with participating shopping malls, Garcia: “We want to bring the voting process closer to and make it easier and better for the voters, especially the elderly, persons with disability, and pregnant women.”
“About 300,000 registered voters are going to be involved in this,” he added.
Based on the information released by the Comelec, five SM malls and five Robinsons malls are already set to host mall voting.
Participating SM malls are SM Manila (Barangay 659, Manila 5th District), SM Sucat (Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City 1st District), SM North EDSA (Barangay Alicia, Quezon City 1st District), SM Legaspi (Barangay 36 Kapantawan, Legaspi City), and SM Consolacion Cebu (Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion, Cebu).
On the other hand, Robinsons malls where mall voting will be held are Robinsons Magnolia (Barangay Horseshoe, Quezon City 4th District), Robinsons Las Piñas (Barangay Talon Tres, Las Piñas City), Robinsons Ermita (Barangay 668, Manila 5th District), Robinsons Metro East (Barangay Dela Paz, Pasig City 2nd District), and Robinsons Cebu (Barangay Parian, Cebu City).
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the number of participating malls may still increase in the coming weeks.
Garcia said the Commission won’t spend public funds in implementing the mall voting as it will be the malls that will provide the logistical requirements.
And to make sure that the mall voting project will be seamless come Election Day, Garcia said they will be holding simulation exercises on August 19 in Robinsons Ermita, Robinsons Cebu, SM Manila, and SM Legaspi.
