By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – More than 7,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from areas affected by Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island will be transported from evacuation centers to polling sites on May 12 to vote in the midterm elections.
A total of 4,936 IDP voters from eight barangays in Negros Occidental and an estimated 2,373 from five barangays in Negros Oriental—totaling 7,309—will be assisted in reaching their designated precincts on election day.
Based on the contingency plan of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), affected voters in Negros Occidental include 2,102 from Barangay Ilijan in Bago City, 718 from Barangays Ara-al and Yubo in La Carlota City, and 2,116 from Barangays Biak-na-Bato, Cabagnaan, Mansalanao, Masulog, and Sag-ang in La Castellana.
Donato Sermeno III, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR), said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide vehicles to transport the 4,936 voters in the Occidental province.
Some voters in La Carlota City will be returned to their barangays, as their polling centers are outside the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano.
Barangay Cabagnaan in La Castellana, located within the PDZ, will have a makeshift polling center in Barangay Poblacion in the town proper.
Sermeno said LGUs may also deploy additional vehicles clearly marked with Comelec signage to ensure orderly and secure transport.
Despite the ongoing volcanic threat, Comelec has confirmed that elections will push through in the affected areas, with alternative polling sites arranged for voters in Alert Levels 3 and 4.
Officials are finalizing plans to ensure readiness and address any remaining concerns.
Edna Lhou Masicampo, Canlaon City’s public information officer, said the 2,373 IDP voters in Negros Oriental will be able to cast their ballots during their designated window from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on election day.
She added that the window also allows evacuees to check on their homes within the PDZ.
Transportation and security measures for the evacuees are in place, and IDP voters will return to their camps after voting for accountability, Masicampo said.
Meanwhile, official ballots were delivered Tuesday to the city and municipal treasurer’s offices across Negros Occidental.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said the ballots were sorted and loaded onto trucks for efficient distribution to towns and municipalities.
Local election officers will verify the ballots upon arrival, which will be distributed to clustered precincts on election day unless earlier release is approved.
Automated counting machines (ACMs) have already been delivered to polling centers, with final testing and sealing (FTS) conducted on Wednesday.
Ananoria inspected the FTS in areas affected by Kanlaon to ensure equipment functionality ahead of the elections.
He confirmed that election security measures are complete.
Negros Occidental has more than 2 million registered voters across 601 barangays, with 2,484 clustered precincts, including Bacolod City.
The Police Regional Office–NIR earlier announced that 7,000 police, military, Coast Guard, and other security personnel have been deployed to secure the midterm elections in the region, including Siquijor.
Caption:
Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials in Negros Occidental, led by Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, check the final testing and sealing of automated counting machines in La Carlota City on Wednesday to ensure readiness for the May 12 midterm elections. (Photo via Comelec–Negros Occidental)
