THE Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will push through with its timeline which includes dates for the filing of the certificates of candidacy and the start of gun ban amid Congress’ push to postpone the 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

During a radio interview Monday, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the schedules will remain at present, with the election period set to start on Oct. six which will be the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy.

The last day of filing of COCs will be on Oct. 13.

“At dahil diyan ay magsisimula na rin ang ating gun ban at iba pang mga consequence or mga iba pang epekto ng pagkakaroon ng tinatawag natin ng election period. So hindi po kami nagbabago sa kasalukuyan ng mga timetable po namin lalo na rin po sa paghahanda at preparasyon po namin,” he added.

The poll body chairman said they will also push through with the printing of the ballots and the training of the teachers who will serve as election workers.

As stipulated in Comelec Resolution No. 10831, the filing of COCs for aspiring barangay and SK officials is set from Oct. 6 to 13 except for Oct. 9; the gun ban will be implemented from Oct. 6 to Dec. 12; and the campaign period is scheduled from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3.

The BSKE is scheduled on Dec. 5, 2022.

Garcia recently said the Comelec is 80% ready for the conduct of BSKE.

He reiterated that the procured materials for the BSKE can still be used in succeeding elections should Congress pass a law for the postponement of the local polls in December.

In August, the House Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Committee voted to postpone the December 5 BSKE. Two bills seeking the postponement of the 2022 BSKE were also filed in the Senate but these are still pending at the committee level.

Some election watchdogs have expressed opposition to the planned postponement of the barangay and SK polls anew.

The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections or NAMFREL earlier urged the poll commission to set a date for the conduct of the next BSKE, arguing that the Constitution gives Comelec the authority to “[d]ecide, except those involving the right to vote, all questions affecting elections, including determination of the number and location of polling places, appointment of election officials and inspectors, and registration of voters.”

Should the elections be deferred, this will mark the fourth time that Congress postponed the barangay and SK elections since Oct. 2016.

The Oct. 2016 barangay and SK polls were postponed to Oct. 2017. From then, it was postponed to May 2018. It was again reset to May 2022. By Yvonne P. Cervantes