Comelec logo and VCM, INQUIRER GRAPHICS
ILOILO CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here on Thursday, August 18 broke ground on a new building that would house a regional office and two local election offices.
Dubbed as the Integrated Field Office-6, the four-story building would house the Western Visayas office of the poll body, the City Election Office, and the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor, as well as housing for visiting field officials from other parts of the country.
Iloilo City Election Officer and Acting Iloilo Provincial Election Supervisor Reinier Layson said this was planned since 2011 under their Comstrat 11-16, which also provided permanent offices under its late former chairperson Sixto Brillantes Jr.
It follows the standard design template for regional integrated field offices with the Department of Public Works and Highways.
With a cost of P66.7 million, the project will be built inside the Iloilo City government’s complex at Barangay Taal in the Molo district, together with the Uswag Molecular Laboratory and Dormitory, Uswag Iloilo City Hospital, and the Medical Arts Building, as well as regional offices of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and several attached divisions of the Philippine National Police.
The lot was provided to the Comelec via the City Council’s Resolution No. 2021-315, which paved the way for a 50-year deed of usufruct between Treñas and the commission.
The deed, signed with then-commissioner Rowena Guanzon, was approved by the commission en banc via Minute Resolution 21-0130.
It will be constructed by local Patrila Builders and is expected to finish on July 30, 2023.
Interim poll chairman George Garcia mentioned that the main office of the Comelec itself may move to its own lot at Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City. He said that the need to move was intensified by a recent fire in their current site at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.
The poll body chief said this would depend on Congress’ approval as to the budget and timeline of the office transfer.