Comelec: Guidelines for 2022 polls out in last quarter of this year

The final guidelines for next year's presidential polls will be released in the last quarter of 2021, the Commission on Elections said on Tuesday. 

Protocols that the body is considering include limiting polling precincts to 5 voters at a time and reducing candidates' poll watchers, said Comelec Commissioner Sheriff Abas.

These guidelines will be tested in March's plebiscite to divide Palawan into 3 provinces. 

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"Ongoing pa po iyong aming proseso diyan dahil hinihimay pa po namin halos lahat ng protocols from canvassing, from filing, from bilangan, lahat. Siguro mga end or last quarter ng taong ito [ilalabas]," he said in a public briefing. 

(Our process for that is ongoing because we are combing through almost all protocols, from canvassing, filing, vote count. Perhaps the guidelines will be released in the end or last quarter of this year.)

"Marami po tayong ilalatag diyan but depende pa rin po iyan sa magiging assessment ng ating mga health experts lalo na po iyong ating national IATF. Susunod po kami sa ano mang magiging mungkahi ng ating mga health experts," added the official. 

(We will lay down many protocols there, but these will still depend on the assessment of our health experts, especially the inter-agency task force on COVID-19. We will follow whatever the recommendation of our experts will be.)

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