By: Angelo Espino

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is hoping that the voter turnout in Saturday’s plebiscite in Ormoc City will be higher than those who participated in the Maguindanao plebiscite last month.

According to Comelec Chairman George Garcia, they are expecting a good number of voters who will participate in the merging of 24 barangays in the said City.

There are a total of 10,209 registered voters from Barangays 1 to 29.

“We’re hoping that the voter turnout is more than the 83.4 percent recorded in the Maguindanao plebiscite,” he said in a press briefing, hours after the plebiscite started.

“We hope that there will be a resounding majority that will participate in this poll activity,” added the poll body chief.

But, he noted that these activities are not a contest on which area has recorded the highest number of voters as the process is done for the benefit of the people in the area.

The results of the plebiscite will determine if the people would like the merging 29 barangays and the renaming of one barangay.

It will approve or not the coalition of Barangay Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 17, 23, and 27. It will be known as Barangay South. 

Also, it will allow the merging of Barangay Nos. 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, 25, and 28. It will be referred to as Barangay East. 

The plebiscite will also determine the coalition of Barangay Nos. 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, and 26 to form one barangay. It will be known as Barangay West. 

It also approve or not the renaming of Barangay 29 to Barangay North.

The voting hours started at 7:00 am and will end at 3:00 pm.

The Barangay Plebiscite Boards of Canvassers are expected to convene early evening to start the canvassing of votes. 

Proclamation of results will follow immediately after all the votes have been counted.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez approved Ordinance No. 052, which calls for the holding of a plebiscite in January 2021.

A total of P8,059,541.63 has been allocated 
by local government unit for the holding of the electoral activity.

The people of Maguindanao approved the division of the provinces into two districts, which is now known as the Provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur during the plebiscite held on September 17.