Tabuk City, Kalinga – As the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) approaches, the Provincial Election Supervisor, Atty. Dexter Barry Cawis, is providing voters ‘must-know’ information for the upcoming 2022 election.
During the program of the Provincial Governor this September 28, the election supervisor provided a calendar of activities, starting with a reminder that voters’ registration was initially only up to September 30, 2021, but was extended from October 11 to 30, 2021.
He then encouraged all eligible to vote by May 2022 to register before the deadline to avoid crowding in COMELEC offices, especially that observation of the safety health protocols are to be strictly observed during registrations.
The filing of COCs, he said, will be from October 1 to 8 for all elective positions as well as certificates of nomination, certificates of acceptance of nomination and affidavits of existing party-list groups, coalitions and organizations.
Aspiring candidates will need to fill in the forms at the COMELEC office in their respective places.
Venue for filling the COC’s according to Cawis will be at the COMELEC offices, but in case the offices will be put on lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Provincial COMELEC Office cited alternative venues.
For the province, the alternative venue will at the Capitol Astrodome, first floor of the Hostel for Balbalan, Municipal Library for Lubuagan, new SK building for Pasil, Multi-purpose Hall for Pinukpuk, Ecotourism building for Rizal, Sangguniang Bayan Hall for Tanudan and Tinglayan, and gymnasium for Tabuk.
The deadline of substitution for reason of withdrawal will be on November 15 “ngem adda ti cases a mabalin ka nga ag-substitute after November 15 like for the reason of death, disqualification by final judgments diay kandidato.”
Cawis explained that those who will substitute must belong to the same political party, which means that independent candidates cannot be substituted.
According to the election supervisor, a candidate will not be considered if he/she files for two positions or offices unless he/she files cancellation to one position on or before October 8.
January 9 to June 8, 2022 will be the election period, so there will be an implementation of gun ban and checkpoints.
Campaign period of candidates for national elective positions will start on February 8 to May 7, 2022, while the local positions will be from March 25 to May 7 of the same year.
Campaign will be prohibited on April 14-15, 2022 in observance of the Holy Week.
Total liquor ban will be implemented from May 8 to 9 in preparation for election on May 9.
Last day to file statement of contributions and expenditures will be on June 8, 2022.
Electoral board to add 25% teachers
The election supervisor revealed that the electoral board will add 25 percent more teachers ‘as buffer’ in case some employees will be infected with the dreaded virus.
He added that their team already coordinated with the Department of Education for the list of the teachers who will possibly serve during the election, where the department decided that younger teachers will be given preference considering their stronger immune system.
“Napigpigsa resistensya dagiay medyo ub-ubbing a teachers so hopefully nu umay ti listaan ket dagiti ub-ubbing ti kasla a maikkan ti preference nga ag-serve although han met nga idis-discriminate dagiti senior citizens a teachers kasi dagita ti beterano,” Cawis stressed.
The supervisor said that at least three teachers will serve per precinct where a machine will have a maximum 1,000 voters.
Expected Problems with COVID-19
With the protocols, the election hours, according to Cawis, may be extended.
“Dakkel ti pagbaliwan na talaga dayta, siguro extend ti panag-butus siyempre expect tayo dayta nga adda ti protocols a talaga a masurut dita han a kasla idi a piyesta a maurnung da amin nya. Adda ti limitation na so maextend siguro ti voting hours wennu nya man mabalin nga iremedyo tapnu lang makabotos amin diay makin-kayat agbotos,” the election supervisor related.
Number of registered voters
A total of 137, 658 voters registered last 2019 election. This is lower than the number of registered voter this upcoming election.
Cawis said that on their last Election Registration Board (ERB) meeting, there is already a total of 142, 776 who registered, 54, 185 of which are from District 1 while 88, 591 are from District 2.
The data does not include those who registered from July to October.
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