THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has started preparing for the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) set to be conducted on October 13 this year.
The BPE was originally scheduled to be held with the May 12 midterm national and local elections. It was pushed back by five months, or to October 13, under Republic Act No. 12123.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said poll officials have began discussions on the BPE.
“For the Bangsamoro polls in October, we have started our preparations. There is really an overlap of activities (with the national and local elections),” Garcia said.
He said they intend to use lessons they have learned in the recently concluded May 12 polls in their BPE preparations, including technical and operational aspects in the conduct of elections.
“The issues in the last elections we had gave us the opportunity to adjust in our preparations. We have these learning lessons in a hope to avoid repeating them in the Bangsamoro elections,” said Garcia.
He said the Comelec will need about 7,000 automated counting machines (ACMs) for the BPE because “we want to have a contingency machine on standby in every polling precinct. We want it to have a 1:1 ratio.”
He added they are eyeing the printing of BPE ballots by July or August.
