The Comelec, now led by Commissioner Resurreccion Z. Borra who was designated by his colleagues as Chairman Officer in Charge (OIC) and who is himself the chairman of the Comelec Printing Committee, assured that the printing of official ballots will be finished in time for their delivery and use in 224,994 precincts set up for the synchronized village polls.

Borra issued the assurance that the printing and distribution of official ballots will be completed in time for the barangay and SK elections because of reports that the Comelec could not concentrate on its preparations for the polls due to the administration’s plan to postpone the election for the third time to 2009.

Public apprehension on another postponement grew when President Arroyo certified last week as urgent a bill seeking the resetting of the village polls to 2009 to enable the Comelec to computerize the village polls.

Senate President Manuel Villar announced, however, that the Oct. 29 elections will surely push through, saying the Senate has no more time to discuss the proposed postponement.

Borra said despite recurring reports of postponement, the Comelec continued its preparations knowing that it takes time before the bill proposing to postpone the election anew could be enacted into law.

"The Comelec will not allow itself to be caught with its pants down," Borra said.

He said the Committee on Printing has taken adequate security measures in the printing and delivery of official ballots and other election paraphernalia.

The committee, Borra added, takes charge of the rooms where the paper and paraphernalia used in the printing of official ballots and other election documents are packed and prepared for shipment.

Borra said the committee supervises all aspects relating to the printing, storage, and shipment of official ballots and reports to the Commission any irregularity which they believe may have been committed.

Comelec Executive Director Jose Pio Joson said official ballots will be distributed by the Commission to each city and municipality at the rate of one ballot for every voter registered in each precinct.

Joson said the Comelec prescribes the use of official delivery receipts to be signed by the election registrar and the chairman of the board of election tellers.

"No official ballot is delivered to the BET (Board of Election Tellers) before election day," Joson said. "But the Comelec, for a justifiable reason, may authorize the delivery of official ballots to the BET of any particular polling place at an earlier date. But this is an exception rather than the rule."