Comelec sets mock polls in 26 areas

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct mock elections in 26 areas across the country ahead of the May 2019 midterm elections.

In an advisory on Wednesday, the Comelec said that mock elections will happen on Saturday, Janiary 19 from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Eight areas in the National Capital Region will be part of the test elections.

These areas are the following: 1st and 2nd districts of Quezon City, 5th District of Manila, 2nd District of Pasig City, 1st District of Valenzuela, and cities of Taguig and Muntinlupa, and the municipality of Pateros.

In Luzon, residents from the cities of Alaminos and Dagupan in Pangasinan and the cities of Tuguegarao and Aparri in Cagayan will also be part of the activity.

In the Visayas, mock elections will also be conducted in the cities of Cebu and Santander in Cebu and in Albuquerque and Cortes in Bohol

The Comelec said that 10 areas in Mindanao would undergo mock elections on Saturday.

These areas are: Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte; Sergio Osmena, Sr., Zamboanga Del Norte; Digos City, Davao del Sur; Bansalan, Davao del Sur; General Santos, South Cotabato;  Surallah, South Cotabato Jolo, Sulu; Tongkil, Sulu; Lamitan, Basilan and Sumisip, Basilan.

The actual elections natiowide is scheduled on May 13, 2019.

On Tuesday, the election body announced that it has placed the city of Daraga in Albay under Comelec, following the killing of mayoralty candidate and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe late last year.

Apart from Daraga, Comelec also placed Cotabato City under its watch for  the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law after a deadly bomb blast rocked the city also last year.

Comelec control over Daraga and Cotabato will be until June 12 or the end of election period.

READ: Cotabato City and Daraga, Albay placed under Comelec control