By Leslie Ann Aquino
The Commission on Elections expects to finish the printing of the ballots to be used for the February 6 plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law this week.
Workers of the National Printing Office (NPO) print ballots for the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law at the NPO office in Quezon City, Monday.
(ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
Vicky Dulcero, vice chairman of the Comelec Printing Committee, said they are targeting to finish the printing of the 600,000 ballots either this Tuesday or Wednesday.
According to Dulcero, they started printing the ballots for the February 6 Plebiscite at the National Printing Office in Quezon City over the weekend.
These are the ballots for Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato.
"We are almost done. So I think in a day or two we will be able to deliver to our packing and shipping committee for deployment of the ballots," said Dulcero.
To note, the Comelec already finished printing the more than 1 million ballots for the January 21 Bangsamoro Plebiscite December last year.
As for the ballots that will be used in the May 13, 2019 midterm polls, Dulcero said the printing will start on January 22.
"About 60 million will be printed...we are eyeing to finish it by April 30," she said in an interview Monday during their inspection of the NPO facility ahead of the start of the printing of ballots for the midterm polls.
Dulcero said 1 million ballots will be printed daily to meet their target date.
Aside from the ballots, accountable forms such as the election returns and certificate of canvass among others will also be printed here.
The plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) will be conducted in two separate days on January 21 and February 6, 2019.
The poll body said the January 21 plebiscite will be conducted in areas comprising the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), as well as Isabela City in Basilan, and Cotabato City.
For the province of Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City; the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit, and Pigkawayan in the province of North Cotabato; and all other areas contiguous to any of the Bangsamoro core areas where: the local government of such area, by way of a resolution, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite; or at least 10% of the registered voters in a local government unit, by way of a petition, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite, the plebiscite will be held on February 6.