TWO months before the first-ever parliamentary polls in the country, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said it will launch an extensive voters education drive in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) starting August 19.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the information and education campaign seeks to explain to the voters the importance of holding the parliamentary polls
“We will be launching a voters education campaign in the Bangsamoro. It should be made clear to the 2.3 million, who will vote in the Bangsamoro, what exactly are the parliamentary elections,” he said.
He said that among the issues that will be discussed during the campaign are how the parliamentary system works, what positions to vote for, and why pictures of the candidates and logo of political parties are included in the official ballots.
Garcia said they also want to educate voters on the schedule of the elections, changes made in the voting machines, and the “None of the Above” option.
“A more comprehensive explanation is needed. We can’t just make them go to the polling precincts and vote. They must be able to understand the process, the system so that they know who they should vote for,” he said.
He said the voters education campaign will be launched in Cotabato City on August 19. Major voters education activities are also set in late August in Zamboanga City and in early September in Cotabato City.
On October 13, the Comelec is set to conduct the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE).
