ZAMBOANGA CITY, (PNA) -–The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is making the necessary preparations to ensure the orderly and successful conduct of elections for barangay officials in this city.
The Comelec through en banc Resolution No. 9805 has scheduled this November 25 the holding of the barangay election in this city.
District 1 election officer Jesus Alvin Lim said among the preparations is to ensure the availability of classrooms as polling centers in areas affected by the standoff.
Lim said they will settle the problem on the polling centers by the first or second week of this month citing they have already coordinated with the departments of education (DepEd), and of social welfare and development (DSWD).
“All the election paraphernalia are ready now. What we are waiting is the availability of the classrooms especially on those areas affected by conflict,” Lim added.
Affected in last month’s standoff are the elementary schools in the adjoining Barangays of Sta. Barbara, Rio Hondo and Mariki.
Lim said they are planning to utilize the classrooms at the government-owned Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) as polling centers for the barangays.
“In case schools which are being used as polling precincts will not be available due to the presence of evacuees, the nearest public school and government building will be used,” Lim said.
He said they are looking for a place where they can hold office that will also serve as the venue for the candidates to file their certificate of candidacy (COC).
The local Comelec is holding office at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex that still houses thousands of evacuees.