Comelec declares successful holding of Ormoc City plebiscite

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

ORMOC CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared as successful the conduct of a plebiscite to merge 28 barangays (villages) into “super barangays” and to rename one village in this city on Saturday, Oct. 8.

The result of the plebiscite is expected to be known by 9 p.m. on Saturday, said Comelec Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros.The plebiscite was held at the Ormoc City Central School where 105 teachers were assigned to facilitate the voting process in 35 polling precincts which opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 3 p.m.

Comelec commissioners led by its chairman, George Erwin Garcia, were present to monitor the plebiscite.

“We are happy that many people came,” Garcia said.

“Napakaayos, napakaganda ng nangyaring plebisito,” Garcia said in a statement. (The plebiscite was orderly and nice.) Whatever will happen, whether the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote will win, it doesn’t really matter. What’s important is that the people who are involved were able to express their sentiments, to express their feelings.  Because in the final analysis, what is at stake here is the future of the city,” he added.

The Ormoc City government allocated P8 million for the plebiscite, including the honoraria of the teachers.

Teofisto Elnas, Jr., deputy executive director for operations, said the conduct of the plebiscite in Ormoc has a “national impact,” especially as the Comelec is preparing for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez said he is very optimistic that the “yes votes” will win.

He said some of the affected villages are so small in population and land area and could not hire their personnel like tanods (watchmen).

“There are even barangays which have a garage for their barangay hall,” he said.

The plebiscite calls for the merging of 28 barangays which will then be divided into “super barangays.”

At least 13 barangays will comprise Barangay South, seven for Barangay West, and another seven for Barangay East. Barangay 29 will be known as Barangay North.

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