QUEZON CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is ramping up efforts to ensure a violence-free Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for October 30. DILG Assistant Director for National Barangay Operations Office, Izza Marie Laurio, indicated that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is closely watching 357 “areas of grave concern,” the majority of which are located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
According to News Releases by Philippines News Agency, Laurio announced the DILG’s policy at a Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, stating, “We will deploy more cops if needed.” She further elaborated, “We will deploy our uniformed personnel in areas where there have been records of violence, in hot spots.”
So far, the DILG’s National Barangay Operations Office has not received any reports of election-related violence in Mindanao. Laurio mentioned, “Although it’s still too early to compare with past elections, we can say it is generally peaceful.”
The upcoming elections have garnered interest from more than 1.41 million individuals who have filed certificates of candidacy for various positions, including barangay captain, seats in the sangguniang barangay (kagawad), SK chair, and SK council. Laurio added that the DILG is intensifying its campaign to encourage voter participation and to prevent vote buying and selling.