Hundreds of candidates for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 in Manila took the oath of integrity pledge and signed a peace covenant for peaceful elections at the San Andres Gym on Thursday, Oct. 12.

It was initiated by the Manila Police District (MPD) in collaboration with the Manila City government and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The event signifies the candidates' commitment to ensuring a peaceful campaign and election period. 

MPD Chief Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon also conducted a Candidates Briefing activity to orient the aspiring barangay officials in holding their peaceful and orderly campaigns.

He said he is expecting all candidates to be disciplined enough to follow all the guidelines for a peaceful election.

According to Comelec, a total of 731,682 aspiring councils and 493,069 aspiring Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials have filed their certificates of candidacy nationwide.

Meanwhile, Comelec-Manila has not released the data regarding the total number of candidates in the 897 city barangays.

The event was graced by Comelec Manila Election Unit Head Jerico Jimenez, Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and MPD station commanders, among others. 

Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/28/thousands-of-bske-candidates-flock-to-malls-in-manila-to-file-co-cs