Palawan 3-way split plebiscite: Low turnout, a ‘No’ in Kalayaan Island

Aerial view of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan Group of Islands, Palawan as seen from the cockpit of a PAF C-130. (INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Only 63 out of 281 registered voters in Kalayaan, the island municipality of Palawan at the West Philippine Sea, took part in Saturday’s plebiscite which will determine whether or not the province will be divided into three.

Based on partial unofficial count of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), 41 Kalayaan residents were against the division of Palawan.

20 voted for the three-way split.  Two votes were  declared invalid.

On Saturday, Republic Act 11259, or the law dividing Palawan into three provinces namely Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Del Sur, and Palawan Oriental, was put under scrutiny through the plebiscite.

Should the province be divided into three, Kalayaan will be absorbed by the mother province, Palawan Del Sur.

Kalayaan has two clustered precincts in its lone village on the Pag-asa Island.

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