Makeshift centers for Bohol village polls

Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes: Makeshift polling places. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Some voters in the earthquake-hit province of Bohol will have to cast their votes in makeshift polling centers during the special barangay (village) elections there on Monday as many school buildings used as voting centers had yet to be rebuilt.

According to Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes, the Comelec had approved the use of makeshift polling places because several voting centers in the area had been rendered useless by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last month.

“In Bohol, we approved the creation of some makeshift voting centers… There are not many though,” said Brillantes in an interview.

As a precautionary measure, Brillantes said they also purchased lamps for some areas that may encounter power supply problems.

Likewise, Brillantes said, the poll body is ready for the holding of special barangay elections in Zamboanga City, also on Monday.

The Oct. 28 barangay elections were postponed in Bohol because of the devastation wrought by earthquake that struck on Oct. 15, while the elections in Zamboanga had to be reset because of the extensive damage caused by three weeks of fighting between government forces and renegade members of the Moro National Liberation Front in September. After the fighting, the Zamboanga area also suffered from extensive flooding.

“In Zamboanga, there is no problem so far,” said Brillantes, adding that security preparations in the city included the deployment of military personnel.