PDP-Laban supports automation of village and youth polls

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan strongly backs the plan of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to automate the succeeding Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) after the conclusion of the village and youth polls this Oct. 30, 2023.

PDP-Laban president and Rep. Jose Alvarez said the party has been for credible and honest polls, and that automating the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections increases the youth’s trust and confidence on the election process for public officials. He added that the Filipino youth in general are “digital nomads” who will surely automation, including for the Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

“The PDP-Laban believes that the electorate’s trust and confidence on the country’s poll system will greatly improve with automation. Hence, the Comelec should waste no time in automating the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections  as this will further demonstrate that the poll body is very committed to making every succeeding village and youth elections more credible and honest,” he said.

“The country’s youth, which are also the country’s future, will also surely welcome the automation or digitalization of the country’s polls as young Filipinos love digital technology. PDP-Laban also believes that engaging more of the youth by automating the Sangguniang Kabataan Elections is one good step in getting them more engaged in nation building,” Alvarez added.

To recall, Comelec chairman George Garcia said that the Comelec will proceed with the automation of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

“There is no turning back for us anymore. Let us proceed with the automation. We can no longer proceed using the manual elections,” George Garcia said in a press briefing Tuesday.

He added that pushing for an automated election system (AES) will benefit Electoral Board (EBs) members as election-related violence will be reduced.

Since 2010, the national and local elections have used the AES, while the manual system of voting has been used in all BSKEs.

In the October 2023 polls, the Comelec will pilot test the AES in three barangays in Luzon – the villages of Zone II Poblacion and Paliparan III in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, and Barangay Pasong Tamo in the sixth district of Quezon City.