SENATOR Imee Marcos presided over the subcommittee hearing of the proposed 2023 budget of various government commissions and the Cooperative Development Authority.

As chairperson of the Committee on Electoral Reforms, Marcos scrutinized the proposed P5.2 billion budget of the Commission on elections (COMELEC) for 2023 and asked on the agency’s preparation for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in 2023.

Data showed that the total number of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) voters is 29.9 million, SK voters are only those belonging to the 15-17 years old age bracket.

“I don’t think so. They’re the ones from the 15 to 30 years old bracket. We will be doubling the count of the age bracket of 18 to 30,” Marcos noted.

Comelec chairman George Garcia, who led the defense of Comelec budget, said the poll body will recompute and give the Senate Committee its final computation.

Among the priority projects of the Comelec next year are the construction of the poll body’s new building and the barangay and SK elections.

When Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada asked Garcia what he is expecting in the upcoming barangay and SK elections, the Comelec chief replied while they have slowed down their preparations following the enactment of the law postponing the December 5 polls to October 2023, they will still proceed with the printing of the ballots and other related activities.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Camille P. Balagtas