• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As local government units affected by the eruption of Kanlaon volcano make adjustments on their contingency plans, in case Alert Level 4 is declared, the Commission on Elections is also adapting its preparations for the May 12 elections, according to Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region.
Castillano, who met with election supervisors and officers of the region on Wednesday, said they are bracing for the transfer of voting centers, election offices, ballot boxes, and other election paraphernalia in areas where the evacuees are staying.
At present, there are 1,859 families, composed of 5,825 persons, staying in 15 evacuation centers, aside from 1,760 families, comprising 5,543 individuals, staying outside evacuation centers, based on February 5 reports of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Comelec is determined to push through the elections in Kanlaon-affected areas, in order not to affect the canvassing of election results for senatorial and party list candidates.
If the Kanlaon alert level is raised to 4, Castillano disclosed that Canlaon City evacuees will be spread out in evacuation centers of six local government units of Negros Oriental’s 1st district, while Moises Padilla evacuees will be sent to Guihulngan City.
Not only are evacuees to be transported to voting centers, but so will voting machines and other election paraphernalia, as well as the transfer of canvassing areas, he added.
The establishment of makeshift polling centers is also being eyed by Comelec, Castillano further said.
He also ordered Election Officers to secure certifications from school principals on the availability of classrooms that can be used as voting centers, as the city government of Guihulngan City offered their gymnasiums as evacuation centers.
Castillano, however, said there will be no problem in Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon volcano, since the evacuees are still within the evacuation centers of their respective LGUs.
The Police Regional Office 7 has deployed 200 police personnel for election purposes and disaster related activities in Negros Oriental.
Brig. Gen. Mike Samson, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said they are still in the assessment stage on the need for deployment of Army soldiers, which also depends on the situations that may arise.
More than 2,500 Army soldiers are deployed in Negros, supervised by the 3ID.*
