The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded the electorate to adhere to the election regulations in connection with the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
In a statement, the DILG encouraged the public "to be informed voters" as it issued several reminders to guide the voting public when exercising their rights to suffrage during the BSKE.
To facilitate the voting process, the DILG advised the voters to remember their precinct numbers and voting centers, prepare the list of their preferred candidates running in the polls, and use the ballot secrecy folders when casting their votes.
The DILG also told the electorate never to take photographs or produce copies of the ballots nor show them to other individuals except to the "assistors" in the polling places as these are considered as election violations.
When casting their votes, the DILG also warned the voters never to write, put marks, tear or destroy their ballots.
Earlier, the DILG Cordillera Administrative Region appealed to all civic society organizations (CSO) to shun partisan politics as the BSKE approaches.
In a statement, the DILG-CAR issued the call specifically to the members or representatives of the various Local Special Bodies (LSBs) and Local People’s Councils (LPC) in the region.
“We recognize that in pursuing participatory good governance, we must ensure that our CSO partners maintain their autonomy and non-partisan nature,” DILG-CAR Director Araceli A. San Jose said.
San Jose stated that the Sanggunian (council) can revoke the accreditation or recognition of a CSO when they are “engaging primarily in, or utilizing their organization primarily for, partisan political activities,” pursuant to Section 4.9.1.4 of DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-083 or the guidelines for the accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to the LSBs.
“We are reminding our CSOs not to side with any other entity apart from the people and sector they represent, engage or use your respective organizations in any partisan political-related activities, as it is a ground for the revocation of your accreditation,” San Jose stressed.
Under DILG MC No. 2022-083, San Jose asserted that all local government units (LGUs), in coordination with their respective DILG Field Offices, may establish mechanisms to address the non-compliance of CSOs to the said provisions.
She also urged LGUs to coordinate with their respective CSO Desk Officers to monitor their CSO partners' activity.
"Section 6.4 of DILG MC No. 2021-054 also provides that the Sanggunian can revoke the recognition granted to an LPC if “the council allows itself or any of its member organizations to engage or use primarily for partisan political activities. Partisan activities include explicitly promoting the election or defeat of any candidate or political party, soliciting votes for a particular candidate, or mobilizing the organization for electioneering," the DILG said.