The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Monday, March 13, that it has printed 100 percent of ballots for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

During a televised public briefing, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said that they have printed almost 92 million ballots.

"Ang idadagdag na nga lamang po naming imprentahan ay iyong mga tatanggapin nating bagong botante at mga na-reactivate na botante na umaabot lamang sa 1.6 million (What's left to print are the new set of voters and those who were reactivated which is just around 1.6 million individuals)," he added.

He explained that this is composed of those who registered between Dec. 12 to January 31.

On the other hand, other pieces of equipment that will be used during the BSKE have already been delivered. The only thing left for Comelec to do, according to Laudiangco, is to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court for the final date of BSKE if it will be on Oct. 30 or earlier.

In a petition filed by election lawyer Romulo B. Macalintal, the SC was told that the power to postpone elections is within the exclusive jurisdiction of Comelec.

Macalintal pointed out that while the Constitution gives Congress the power to determine or fix the term of office of barangay officials, “the Constitution does not give Congress the power to postpone the barangay elections nor to extend the term of office of the barangay officials.”

In January, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that they are hoping that SC will release its ruling early this year.

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said that once this is settled they will proceed with the training of personnel.

"Pagkatapos po nito ay kasunod na iyong ating training po ng electoral boards at iyong mga deployment (After this, next is the training of electoral boards and the deployment)," Laudiangco explained.

"So, ito po ang sunud-sunod na gagawin po ng Comelec patungkol sa BSKE at masasabi namin, 100 percent ready po ang inyong Comelec (So this is the complete step-by-step procedure of Comelec for the BSKE and we can say that we are 100 percent ready for it)," he added.

Comelec earlier stated that filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COC) will begin on July 3 until July 7.

In Resolution 10899 promulgated on Feb. 22 released by Comelec, it disclosed a new calendar of activities and periods of certain prohibited acts in connection with the BSKE.

According to the resolution, the election period will also be in effect with the start of the COC filing until Nov. 14, 2023.