POLL PREPARATIONS. Urdaneta City, Pangasinan election officer lawyer Nathaniel Siaden during the virtual forum of the Philippine Information Agency Pangasinan on Thursday (Jan. 27, 2022). Siaden discussed the preparations adopted by the Commission on Elections in Pangasinan for the upcoming polls. (Screenshot from PIA Pangasinan's livestream) MALASIQUI, Pangasinan - Some 44 out of 48 election officers in Pangasinan have been transferred to other areas ahead of the country's national and local elections. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Urdaneta City election officer lawyer Nathaniel Siaden said the transfer prevents or avoids the familiarity of the officers with the incumbent officials. "To remove any doubt on possible close affiliation among the officers and the officials," he said in a virtual forum organized by the Philippine Information Agency Pangasinan on Thursday. Siaden said the election officers of Dagupan City, Villasis, Rosales, and Manaoag towns were not reshuffled as they only assumed their position just recently. Meanwhile, all election officers have already coordinated with the school district supervisors or superintendent for the composition of the electoral boards in each precinct. "Some have already finalized their working force such as electoral boards, support staff, supervising officers for support staff, and medical health personnel with support staff in polling centers," Siaden said. Campaign committees composed of the Department of Health, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government were also formed. The committees will approve or disapprove of the campaign activities of the candidates. He added candidates and audiences attending the caucuses are mandated to wear face masks and face shields. Siaden said these are parts of the new protocols to be implemented for May national and local elections amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). "There will also be medical personnel in the voting centers during the election day to check the temperature and possible symptoms of the voters. While there will also be designated isolation areas for those who will exhibit symptoms," he said. Pangasinan has 3,339 polling precincts with over 2 million registered voters. (PNA) }