Danao poll office moving inside City Hall building

CEBU, Philippines - The Danao City elections office will transfer to their new location at the Danao City Hall after a fire damaged their office last month.

After some few repairs, Commission on Elections Provincial Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said they will transfer to their new office at the City Hall offered by Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano.

“He is offering us another office in the city hall. We’ll definitely transfer there,” Castillano said, adding that the current office is already a fire hazard.

Castillano said Mayor Durano previously offered the office space to them but they waited for the Rescue Unit currently occupying the space to vacate it and transfer to another building being constructed for them.

“Karon nga nasunog man, nakita ni Mayor Boy ang immediate need to transfer, so bisa’g naa pa ang Rescue, hasta ang Planning and Development Office, hatagan mi og pwesto didto, (After the fire, Mayor boy saw the immediate need to transfer so even if the Rescue, Planning and Development Office are occupying the area, we have been given space there,” Castillano said.

Asked if this will somehow make them beholden to the mayor, Castillano cited the Omnibus Election Code where it is stated that the local government unit shall provide the election officer, including the provincial election supervisor, a suitable office space.

Apart from what is stated in the law, Castillano said they have no choice because the Comelec national office itself cannot provide them with an office or even rent such for them.

He said the Comelec was not able to allocate funds for this purpose as this was denied by the Commission on Audit.

For the meantime, Castillano said the Comelec is just depending on lots donated by LGU so that they can start constructing elections offices in every region.

Castillano even pointed out the fact that Comelec doesn’t have a central office building of its own until now.

He revealed though that Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes has made it one of his flagship programs to put up their own building.

For now, Castillano said Brillantes has already paid a down payment for a lot they purchased in a reclamation area near the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

“Sa tanan siguro natong constitutional bodies, kami (Comelec) ra’y way building. Mao na’y nakita ni chairman na iya g’yud paninguhaon. (Of all the constitutional bodies, only Comelec has no building. This is what the chairman wants to prioritize.)” Castillano said.

After having their own central office, the Comelec provincial supervisor said they will then start constructing regional Comelec offices.  (FREEMAN)