PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan-- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has approved the conduct of a plebiscite in 23 municipalities on March 13, 2021 according to the local election office.
Provincial Comelec spokesperson Jomel Ordas said that they have received the approved Resolution No. 10682 and the calendar of activities through Resolution No. 10687.
In the Resolution promulgated on December 16 by chairman Sheriff Abas, Commissioners Ma. Rowena Amelia Guanzon, Socorro Inting, Marlon Casquejo, and Antonio Kho Jr., it stated that the voter who will vote for its approval shall write the word “Yes” or “Oo” or its conceptual equivalent in the blank box after the question, or the voter will voter will vote for its rejection, the word “No” or “Hindi”.
For the purpose of the March 13, 2021 plebiscite, the official ballots which bear the date May 11, 2020 are valid and shall be used, according to the resolution.
The following question shall be provided in the official ballot:
“Pumapayag ka ba na hatiin ang probinsya ng Palawan sa tatlong probinsya na papangalanang: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental at Palawan del Sur alinsunod sa batas republika bila ng 11259?”
The voting will start at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. except when there are voters present within 30 meters of the polling place who have not yet cast their votes. The counting of votes will start at 3 p.m.
The convening of the municipal or provincial plebiscite board of canvassers (M/PBOC) shall not be later than 6 p.m.
Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police will be assigned to conduct thermal checks on all persons before entering the voting center and those with the temperature of 37.5 and above will not be allowed.
Governor Jose Chaves Alvarez recently said in a press briefing that he sees an "overwhelming" victory of 3 in 1 Palawan through the plebiscite in March, 2021, that would pave the way for the creation of the three provinces of Palawan.
He expects that the majority of Palaweños will be in favor of the creation of two additional provinces.