Mabalacat townsfolk turn out for today's cityhood plebiscite

MABALACAT, Pampanga, Philippines  – A festive air has pervaded the municipal hall here amid great expectations that local voters would approve in a plebiscite today the cityhood of this 300-year-old town.

Mayor Marino Morales said the recent series of motorcades campaigning for cityhood showed the widespread support of residents.

“Hundreds of happy, chanting residents packed all sorts of vehicles and joined our miting de avance around town,” he said.

“We met on the road the (one opposing the) cityhood, Vice Mayor Noel Castro, having his own motorcade by his lonesome. If that is not a clear indication of the vote on Saturday, I don’t know what is,” Morales said.

A favorable plebiscite turnout would make this town Pampanga’s third city, after Angeles and San Fernando.

While no threat to peace and order is seen, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked the police to provide at least three policemen per voting center.

A two-day liquor ban was enforced yesterday, lasting up to midnight today, as part of the measures to ensure peace and order during the plebiscite.

Comelec municipal officer Francisco David told The STAR that by tomorrow, this town could be officially declared a city if the results of the cityhood plebiscite would favor this.

David said this town’s 692 precincts will be clustered into 290 voting centers which will open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. today.

“There is no threat to peace and order which I expect to prevail, but I nevertheless asked the police to provide three policemen for each of the voting centers,” David said. This would mean 870 cops providing security to the voting centers.

He said three public school teachers will be assigned to each voting center. They are to receive P3,000 for their services plus P300 transportation allowance.

“The fund amounting to P11.8 million was allocated by the municipal government for this plebiscite,” he said.

David said Mabalacat now has a total of 83,564 registered voters.

“The counting of votes will start as soon as the voting centers close at 3 p.m. although those still in line to cast their votes will be allowed to do so beyond 3 p.m. After the votes are counted in the voting centers, the returns will be forwarded to my office for canvassing,” he said.

Once the canvassing is finished, David said the municipal board of canvassers can declare whether the cityhood proposal was approved or rejected by local voters.

“If approved, we can declare the cityhood, so that by Sunday, Mabalacat can officially become a component city,” he added.

Morales said he expects a heavy turnout of voters, noting that “all we need is a simple majority plus one” of those who would cast their votes on plebiscite day.

He urged voters to ratify cityhood “as a manifestation of gratitude to those who backed the cityhood proposal in Congress.”

Last month, President Aquino signed Republic Act 10164 declaring Mabalacat a component city.

The law prescribes that the cityhood law must first be ratified by the local folk for it to take effect.

“Cityhood means that from P529 million annually, our internal revenue allotment would be increased to P900 million,” Morales said.

Morales assured his constituents that cityhood would not lead to an increase in local taxes.