Comelec: Flooding seen as poll threat
The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will involve about 2.4 million registered voters.
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The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will involve about 2.4 million registered voters.
Polling centers are being reviewed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in areas vulnerable to flooding as it prepares for a series of elections.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia said Monday the poll body was particularly concerned about schools and other voting centers that could become inaccessible if heavy rains mar an election day.
The Comelec is preparing for several electoral exercises this year, including the 14 September Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections and the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will involve about 2.4 million registered voters.
The Comelec is also readying for the 29 August special election in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, to fill the congressional seat vacated by the expulsion of former representative Francisco Barzaga Jr.
Comelec personnel were checking whether polling places in flood-prone communities would remain usable and accessible, and would identify alternative sites if necessary.
The concern comes as downpours become frequent, with the southwest monsoon continuing to bring heavy rains to parts of the country.
Preparing for worst
The poll chief said the situation would be closely monitored because the location of polling centers could become a critical issue if roads and schools are flooded.
He said the poll body was also preparing measures to address possible problems with the transmission of election results, particularly in areas where telecommunications connectivity could be affected.
The Comelec was deploying additional equipment and resources to help ensure that election results could still be transmitted even if connectivity problems arise.
Garcia also said the poll body was continuing its preparations for the deployment of election equipment and other materials.
Comelec officials were also coordinating with local authorities on security and logistical concerns, particularly in areas where election preparations could be affected by weather and accessibility.
Under Section 15 of the Omnibus Election Code, an election may be postponed in an area because of a force majeure, violence, terrorism, fraud or other similar circumstances that make the holding of a free, orderly and honest election impossible.
If an election is postponed on such grounds, the Comelec may set a new election date within the period provided by law.
Garcia said the current rains would not automatically prevent the conduct of elections, stressing that the poll body would first assess actual conditions on the ground.
The poll body earlier said it would need about P191 million for the Dasmariñas special election.
Garcia said preparations for the various electoral exercises were continuing despite the challenges posed by the weather.
The poll body has also been conducting security and logistical assessments for the Bangsamoro elections in coordination with government agencies, security forces and other stakeholders.
