AMID talks on the possible postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday, July 23, that it is on track with its preparations for the December 2022 poll exercise.In a televised public briefing, acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said they have ample time to prepare for the holding of the village and youth polls despite the continued uncertainty over its fate.”When it comes to the timeline, we have enough time to prepare for it,” said Laudiangco.”We are confident that we are on track and that we can successfully hold the Barangay and SK Elections on December 5,” he added.Laudiangco noted how they are already at the tail-end of the first of the three-pronged election preparatory activities, which is the voter registration.He said the Comelec has also started drafting the resolutions related to the conduct of the BSKE.Laudiangco said they have already began the procurement process for the election supplies and paraphernalia needed for the barangay and SK polls.He added that so far, they have already spent a “minimal amount” during their preparations amounting to P225,360.To note, the Comelec has been given a budget allocation amounting to P8,441,280,000 for the holding of the village and youth polls.Earlier, Leyte Fourth District Representative Richard Gomez filed House Bill 937 that seeks to postpone the elections scheduled on December 5 to a later date.Similarly, Senator Jinggoy Estrada filed a bill seeking to move the next barangay and SK elections from December 5, 2022 to the first Monday of December 2023.Both proposals expressed belief that the budget for the barangay and SK polls should be used to finance other economic programs and health services of the government. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)