Palawan three-way split plebiscite: It’s a ‘No’ in Brooke’s Point

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Brooke’s Point, Palawan Mayor Jean Feliciano, one of the backers of the province’s three-way split, said the “No” vote prevailed  in the municipality in Saturday’s plebiscite.

The outcome of Brooke’s Point’s canvassing, based on unofficial results, stood at 11,816 for “Yes” and 12,042 for “No”, a margin of exactly 226 votes.

“Tinawag pero hindi pinili. Ibinigay subalit tinanggihan. Sa mga nagsulong at bumoto ng NO, congratulations sa inyo sapagkat nakumbinsi nyo ang ating mga kababayan na wag tanggapin ang pagiging kapitolyo na maglalapit ng serbisyo sa mga tao, magbibigay ng maraming job opportunities at magbubukas ng maraming negosyo,” Feliciano declared in a post on Facebook early Sunday, March 14.

(We were called but not chosen. It was given but refused. To those who pushed and voted for NO, congratulations to you because you were able to convince our townmates not to accept the honor of becoming the capital town that would better help our people, would give us more jobs opportunities and would allow more businesses to flourish) 

On Saturday, March 13, the Palawan plebiscite was conducted to let the locals decide whether  or not to split the island province into three smaller provinces – Palawan Del Sur, Palawan Del Norte, and Palawan Oriental.

Brooke’s Point will be the capital of the mother province, Palawan Del Sur, if the ‘Yes” votes win.

The municipal count will be brought to the provincial legislative building in Puerto Princesa City, where the provincial board of canvassers will declare the official results.

Brooke’s Point is one of the towns that the “Yes” campaign was expected to prevail  as it had been designated to be the main growth area for the planned new province, considering its link to the potential markets of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East Asia Growth Area) countries.

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