After seeing scores of voters flocking to precincts, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia believes that they will attain a 92 percent voter turnout in Marawi City's plebiscite on Saturday, March 18.
In an interview, Garcia mentioned that it was only during the morning that they witnessed numerous residents arriving and that they expect more voters to come to the precincts once those who have finished have informed others about it.
"Sabi nga ni Commissioner Ernesto Maceda talagang democracy is alive dito sa Marawi City. Nakakatuwa dahil sabihin na natin plebisito ito sa pagccreate lamang ng dalawang barangay subalit lahat ng taga-barangay na ito ay pumunta dito (As stated by Commissioner Ernesto Maceda, democracy is really alive here in Marawi City. It's good to see that despite this just being a plebiscite to create two barangays, yet a lot of residents came here)," he said.
"Marami nandito mga "bakwit" yung hindi talaga dito yung pinanggalingan nila na mga lugar subalit mas minarapat na nila na dito na maging permanent na residente, dito makaboto dahil nga sa nangyari na Marawi Siege (A lot of those residing here are 'bakwits' or those who are not really from here but decided to remain here as permanent residents and vote due to the Marawi Siege)," he added.
The plebiscites will be the first exclusively local electoral exercise after the end of the siege and hostilities and the liberation of Marawi City in 2017, following the 2019 and 2022 National and Local Elections and the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Comelec stated that the creation of two new barangays subject to the plebiscites is the "direct resultant effects" of the Marawi Siege due to the significant increase in the population on account of internally displaced persons, all of whom are now permanent actual inhabitants thereof, and whose paramount welfare will be served by the newly-created barangay local government units of Barangays Boganga II and Datu Dalidigan.
The electoral exercises are expected to have a significant impact on the future and welfare of the residents. Voting will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Garcia said that they see no reason to extend the voting hours.
Garcia expects the results to be finalized no later than 7 p.m. on Saturday (March 18).