The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has urged lawmakers to decide whether or not it will push through with the October 25 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said both members of Senate and House of Representatives have until the end of September to decide on the fate of Barangay and SK elections if only to avoid unnecessary expenses.

“If possible, let’s settle this right away before September ends,” Jimenez said, adding that the poll body might start spending its funds for the twin elections by October.

“If postponement comes after September, magma-mount naman 'yung losses mo. So, if you can postpone before September, essentially there will be no losses because we won’t be going through the procurements,” Jimenez said.

He said among the procurements that will have to be made are for the production of ballots, replenishing the ballot boxes and procurement of supplies to be used in the conduct of polls, among others.

But it is not clear how much the Comelec could lose if the elections are not postponed ahead of time.

Malacañang and Congress have expressed desire to postpone the SK polls, primarily because of financial reasons. It is also said it will push a bill for Congress approval to scrap the SK polls which will coincide with the barangay polls to save on costs.

On the issue that the barangay and SK polls would be moved, he said: “It is possible. I would say 75 percent because of the pre-dominance of legislators who want to postpone it. They are only debating when will that happen,” said Jimenez.

Also, with no congressman volunteering to file a bill, Malacañang plan’s to abolish the Sangguniang Kabataan could be running out of time.

Appearing at the Usaping Balita News Forum in Quezon City yesterday, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, said the committee has not yet received any bill backing President Aquino’s wishes to do away with the SK, a barangay-based youth organization that has been drawing flak for charges of graft against some of its leaders.

Barzaga noted that during a committee hearing on bills proposing deferment of the October 25 barangay and SK elections, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo advised the House panel to pass the measure on the first week of September.

The Cavite solon said that since there is still no bill filed for the abolition of SK, the House panel finds the time frame given by Comelec restrictive.

He added that in the past Congress, two bills proposing SK abolition were rejected by congressmen who believe that the better option is to institute reforms to the youth organization.

However, Barzaga disclosed that there appears to be solid backing to proposals to cancel the October 25 poll exercise, with at least 73 prcent of solons polled backing it.

There are at least 22 bills and three resolutions pushing for the postponement of barangay and SK elections. These measures will be consolidated in the next hearing.

“We hope to vote on the bill on the first week of September,” said Barzaga.

Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong called on Malacañang to support the desire of many solons who are batting for election deferment.

“We are conducting three elections in just a span of 14 months. In my opinion, this is highly divisive, while we have to believe that elections is a sign of a health democracy, it must also not jeopardize the better interest of the people,” said Loong.