Pursuant to Resolution No. 11132 promulgated on April 21, the Commission on Elections has released the calendar of activities for the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
July 1 to 11 is the filing of applications for the registration of voters for the BSKE while the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) is on October 1 to 7.
The election period begins on October 27 and ends on December 31, 2025, with the ban on firearms abnd other deadly weapons implemented during this period.
Other prohibited activities during the election period are: candidates’ use of security personnel or bodyguards, unless authorized; alteration of territory of a precinct or establishment of a new precinct; fundraising through lotteries, cockfights, etc; gambling upon election result; threatening any election officer; illegal release of prisoners before and after elections; transfer or detail of officers and employees in civil service, including public school teachers; organization or maintenance of reaction forces; and suspension of local elective officials.
Ten days will be allotted for the campaign period which will begin November 20 and end on the 29th, with no campaigning allowed for the eve of election day. There is also a liquor ban on the day before and on election day.
Voting will be done from 7 AM until 3 PM on December 1, 2025, a Monday, which will be presumably declared a special non-working holiday by Malacanang.
The last day of the year will be the deadline for the filing of the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) by all candidates.
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Congratulations to the two amateur pugilists from Catanduanes who won medals in the recent Palarong Pambansa as well as the other members of athletic delegation who competed in Ilocos Sur.
Boxer Dithrone Subion of Virac won silver in the pinweight division (42-44 kgs.) for under 16-year-olds while Jojie Rima of Pandan salvaged bronze in the bantamweight division.
Sprinter Jehjireh Alcantara of Pandan placed 10th among 34 runners in the 100-meter dash but clocked a new personal best of 11.19 seconds for the distance, an improvement over the 11.32 he registered in the last national games.
The dancesports duo got as far as the quarterfinals and snagged 10th place while the lone tennis bet failed to advance. One member of the Bagwis soccer team was also included in the Bicol Vulcans XI that competed in the Palarong Pambansa.
The sacrifice put up by the two boxers in enduring punches from their opponents in several days of competition makes one wonder if the provincial government ever allotted a cash prize for medalists in the Palarong Pambansa or even an allowance for all athletes and coaches from the island who qualify for the national games.
Was there a cash incentive promised for medal winners in the 2025 Palarong Bicol, if ever?
The province has languished in its disappointingly low overall rankings (9th to 11th) in the Palarong Bicol for several years now needs to be addressed by the government, especially in terms of funding for training and incentives.
Perhaps the new leadership and the SP sports committee can hammer out a satisfactory sports program.
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TROUBLE WITH THE CAR. A woman called her husband at his office from their home.
“There’s trouble with the car. It has water in the carburetor,” she told him.
“Water in the carburetor? That’s ridiculous,” he replied testily.
“I tell you the car has water in the carburetor!” she thundered back.
“You don’t even know what a carburetor is. I’ll check it out. Where’s the car?” the husband said.
“In the pool.”