endIndex: On March 13, residents of Palawan will gather to the polls to vote on whether they approve or reject the move to split the province into three. (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 12) On March 13, residents of Palawan gather to the polls to vote on whether they approve or reject the move to split the province into three. Here s what you need to know about this historic event.
The Palawan plebiscite is the first voting event in the country to take place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic with the implementation of minimum health protocols.
The Commission on Elections reported 490,639 registered voters but only a maximum of 200 will be allowed per clustered precinct and five at a given time. There are 2,959 clustered or grouped precincts, 3,250 established precincts and 487 voting centers in 23 municipalities except Puerto Princesa, as a highly urbanized city.
Q&A: 3 Palawan provinces? Residents do not fully understand consequences of March 13 plebiscite May Butoy and Helen Graido of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) are in Palawan for the first elections to be held during the pandemic, taking crucial lessons for the 2022 Philippine general election. Covid-19 worries are expected to affect voter turnout, but lack of understanding among residents regarding the consequences of the plebiscite is a bigger concern. March 12, 2021 | 12:00:00 AM
After a postponement of nearly a year, Palaweños will finally decide on Saturday, March 13, whether or not the island will be split into three provinces.
Republic Act 11259 created the provinces of Palawan del Norte, Palawan del Sur and Palawan Oriental, but the 2019 law will only be implemented if it wins the plebiscite vote. Residents will vote “Yes” if they want the three provinces created or “No” if they are against it
3 Palawan provinces? Residents do not fully understand the consequences of the March 13 plebiscite pcij.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pcij.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
With the pandemic situation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will also be the first electoral exercise in the country that will use or adopt the minimum health standards and protocols.
“There will be checking of temperatures of voters. There will also be isolation facility (polling place) just in case there are those with temperature of 37.5 or above,”Deputy Executive Director for Operations Teopisto Elnas said in a press briefing in Puerto Princesa, Thursday, March 11.
He said social distancing will also be implemented.
“That’s the reason why we only allow five voters at a given time to enter (the polling precinct)…we will also control the number of watchers to be deployed,” said Elnas.
Commission on Elections
(MANILA BULLETIN)
“It’s all systems go for this plebiscite… Our people all over Palawan are ready to conduct this plebiscite,” Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho said in a press briefing in Puerto Princesa City, Thursday, March 11.
Deputy Executive Director for Operations Teopisto Elnas said except those for the Kalayaan Islands, all election paraphernalia have been deployed to the municipalities.
“For the Kalayaan Islands, our deployment was stalled because of the weather situation,” he said.
Far-flung polling precincts are also set to receive their election paraphernalia, Friday.
“Starting tomorrow (March 12), there will be an advance delivery in the far flung barangays,” Palawan Election Supervisor Urbano Arlando said.