OVER three weeks before the conduct of the Maguindanao plebiscite, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already completed the printing of the official ballots that will be used in the September 17 referendum.
In a statement, acting Elections spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the 818,790 official ballots that will be used have already been fully printed by the National Printing Office.
The ballot printing started on August 18 and finished two days later on August 20.
Laudiangco said other documents that will be used during the electoral exercise, such as plebiscite returns, certificate of canvass and proclamation, certificate of canvass, statement of votes by precinct, and summary of votes have also been printed.
The poll official said all plebiscite-related forms have been printed completely as of August 24, 2022.
“All printed items are now being subjected to verification,” said Laudiangco.
But despite the early completion of the printing process, the poll body said they will not yet deploy the plebiscite documents.
“As standard practice, deployment will be made at least five days before the plebiscite,” said Laudiangco.
The plebiscite is set to be held in Maguindanao over the question on whether the voters agree or disagree to divide it into two provinces, namely Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The Comelec will be holding the Maguindanao plebiscite, with the use of the manual system of voting, in accordance with Republic Act No. 11550.