The Quezon City government said on Saturday, Oct. 28, that it is all set for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and “Undas 2023”.
It said that the BSKE elections in Quezon City’s 142 barangays will be held in 169 polling precincts in the city.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte commended the city government departments and relevant government agencies, including the City Treasurer’s Office, for ensuring that QCitizens in 142 barangays can safely exercise their right to vote
“Rest assured that the local government of Quezon City will continue to support every political exercise, most especially the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno at mga departamento ng City Hall na nagtutulong-tulong upang maging matagumpay at maayos itong local elections sa QC (I thank all the agencies of the government and the departments in the City Hall who worked hand in hand to make the local elections successful and orderly in QC),” she said.
The city government said that three malls in different districts will serve as polling precincts. They are the SM City North Edsa in District 1, Robinsons Magnolia in District 4, and SM City Fairview in District 5.
It added that Pasong Tamo Elementary School, Judge Feliciano Belmonte Senior High School, and in CBE Town Covered Court will be part of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec's) pilot testing for an automated BSKE 2023 using vote counting machines (VCMs).
It also said that it hired 550 jeepneys along with the 170 city-owned vehicles that will help for the transportation of teachers, poll clerks, 587 deployed city government and other relevant personnel, as well as during the distribution and retrieval of Comelec ballot boxes and election paraphernalia.
The City Traffic and Transport Management Department (TTMD) will be deploying 887 personnel to provide traffic assistance, monitoring, and traffic escorts; while 390 personnel from the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) and 372 members of the Quezon City Police District will provide security, escort, and monitoring before and during the elections on Monday, Oct. 30.
There are about 666 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in the city who are scheduled to exercise their right to vote in QC on Monday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said.
Meanwhile, the city government said that its annual “Oplan Kaluluwa” has been activated to ensure the safety of QCitizens who will visit their loved ones in public and private cemeteries and columbaries from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2.
It said that the Manila North Cemetery in A. Bonifacio, San Juan Cemetery in Col. Bonny Serano, the Himalayang Pilipino in Himlayan Road, and the Recuerdo Memorial Gardens near Payatas, as well as other cemeteries in the city will be manned by by hundreds QC Law and Order Cluster personnel.
The city government also identified other burial sites in the city including Eternal Garden Memorial Park, Novaliches Cemetery, Holy Cross Memorial Park, and the Bagbag Cemetery.
Over 600 TTMD personnel will be deployed from morning to evening during Undas ,while DPOS will also assign about 300 officers, it added.
The local government earlier released its guidelines for All Saints Day and All Souls Day and advised the public to avoid visiting cemeteries if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.
Among the prohibited items inside cemeteries and columbariums during Undas 2023 are firearms, sharp objects, liquor, cards or dice for gambling, and loudspeakers, it said.
Read more: QC gov’t issues guidelines for ‘Undas 2023’, QCESU urges QCitizens who experience Covid-19 symptoms to reschedule cemetery visits