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Comelec considering 2-day plebiscite in Palawan

Philippines | National

Comelec considering 2-day plebiscite in Palawan

By Hanah Tabios

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is now considering to hold the plebiscite in the island province of Palawan for two days.

This, as the Commission expects that the COVID-19 situation in the country will linger until next year.

"One of the things that the COMELEC is considering for Palawan is the possibility of holding the plebiscite in two days," COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez said in a virtual media forum.

But he clarified that the matter is not a done deal yet.

“It is still being studied," he added.

The possibility of holding a two-day plebiscite is part of the poll body's precautionary measures to also avoid overcrowding inside polling precincts.

Jimenez said the Commission is looking into options, including dividing voters based on their surnames. They are also looking at dividing voters by gender, separating the voting days for males and females.

The poll official also said that they are also studying the feasibility of dividing voters based on their polling precinct numbers.

By virtue of Republic Act No. 11259, the poll body has been tasked to conduct a plebiscite for the division of the island province and making it Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur.

The plebiscite is supposed to take place last May 11 but, in a Memorandum dated April 7, the COMELEC ordered the postponement of the event because of the pandemic.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) then approved the holding of the Palawan plebiscite in the first quarter of 2021.

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