The Antipolo office of the Commission on Election (Comelec) is in the thick of preparations for the special election scheduled on March 14 in the city’s second legislative district that covers eight villages.
Atty. Joseph Vega, city election officer, told the Manila Bulletin that although there is an existing P11 million funds available through the General Appropriations Act, the amount is not sufficient to cover the expenses that will be incurred in holding the special election.
Vega said his office needs around P80 to 90 million for the March 14 special election in the second district of the city following the death of Rep. Romeo Acop on December 20.
There are more than 250,000 registered voters in the second district alone covering the eight villages of Calawis, Cupang, Dalig, Inarawan, San Juan, San Luis, San Roque and San Jose, which has the biggest voting population among the barangays in the district.
A map showing the second district of Antipolo City
Atty. Vega said the allocated P11 million budget would not be sufficient since the pay for the 2,100 teachers alone would entail a budget of more than P25 million. Clustering of precincts is part of the poll body's measures that will be implemented for the city's special election.
In spite of the budget constraints, Vega said the Comelec would pursue finding ways to ensure that the special election in the city would happen as the act has been mandated by the Supreme Court as a result of the vacancy left by the death of Rep. Acop.
Comelec Antipolo office has received seven certificate of candidacies (COC) filed by Infate, Dandin; Llaga, Reden Noble; Sumulong III, Lorenzo Juan Yu; Cafirma, Maria Trinidad Galang; Lobigas, Nathaniel Adao, Tapales, Irvin Paulo Carillo, and Acop, Philip Conrad Marrero.
Acop, a former city councilor and a practicing pediatrician, is the son of the late Rep. Acop and late Rep. Resurreccion Acop.
Dr. Philip "Bong" Acop, a former Antipolo City councilor and a practicing pediatrician, shakes hand with Atty. Joseph Vega of Comelec Antipolo during the filing of the certificate of candidacy
Prior to the filing of the COC, hundreds of supporters, wearing red shirt accompanied Acop from the International Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Antipolo Cathedral) where a mass was offered at 7 a.m. on Saturday, before the doctor politician went to the Comelec office to submit his COC at past 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Hundreds of Acop supporters converge at Sumulong Park in Antipolo City in a show of support to Dr. Acop's candidacy
Atty. Vega reminded Acop of the guidelines for the special election.
Acop said the loss of the second district of a representative in Congress has prompted him to continue pursuing the plans of his late father and mother, who both served as members of the House of Representatives, for the district.
Atty. Vega, meanwhile, urged voters in the second district to cast their vote and exercise their duty as a responsible voter. He warned that failure of a person to vote for two times would render his name to be delisted in the list of voters.
He revealed that Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia himself has been regularly asking for updates from the Antipolo office on the upcoming special election in the city.
Atty. Vega said he would be inviting all the candidates and their lawyers for a meeting to discuss the guidelines and procedures related to the upcoming election to ensure everybody's awareness on the entire electoral process.
The voting, which is going to be manual, will be held on March 14 from 7 a.m. up to 3 p.m. for physically abled voters and from 5 a.m. until 7 a.m. for persons with disability, pregnant women and senior citizens who have problems in mobility.
Campaign period will be from Feb. 12 to March 12 only.