Makeshift voting centers set up for Bohol village polls

MANILA, Philippines - To ensure that barangay elections in the quake-damaged province of Bohol will push through tomorrow, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had set up makeshift voting centers.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the improvised voting centers would replace the classrooms that were destroyed when the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the province two weeks before the scheduled elections last Oct. 28.

“We approved the establishment of makeshift voting centers.  There are not many, only a few, here and there,” Brillantes said.

And since the power supply in Bohol had been affected when Super Typhoon Yolanda battered Tacloban City recently, the Comelec had procured lamps that would be used in the polling centers.

“This is part of our precautionary measures. There is no problem during voting because it’s daytime. What matters is the canvassing of votes which may last until nighttime,” he said. 

Tomorrow, the Comelec will also hold the barangay polls in Zamboanga City which was delayed due to the three-week stand-off between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front in September.

Brillantes said there are enough contingents from the police and the military to secure a smooth and orderly conduct of the elections in Zamboanga City.

“We have not received any report that there would be a problem in Zamboanga but security preparations are already in place there. We don’t see any problem so far,” he said.

There are 799,089 and 412,661 registered voters in Bohol and Zamboanga City, respectively.