Batangas’ Calaca town now a city

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — The town of Calaca in Batangas became the country’s newest component city after a majority of the residents voted yes in a plebiscite conducted on Saturday.

Jeweleane Vidal, chair of the municipal board of canvassers, officially proclaimed Calaca a city after results of the plebiscite showed 29,424 affirmative and 3,781 negative votes.

Of the 58,881 registered voters, more than 50 percent cast their votes in 123 clustered precincts, amid bad weather brought about by Super Typhoon Henry.

The proclamation was witnessed by Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, Calaca Mayor Nas Ona, Rep. Eric Buhain, former congresswoman Eileen Ermita-Buhain and local officials.

The declaration was pursuant to Republic Act 11544 or “An Act Converting the municipality of Calaca in Batangas into a component city,” which was signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte, as well as Comelec Resolution 10799 promulgated on July 6 this year.

With the conversion, local officials expect the speedy development of Calaca, more projects to implement and increased funding for these projects.

Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) police director, said the conduct of the plebiscite was peaceful.

Calaca police officer in-charge Lt. Col. Willy Salazar said no gun ban violation was recorded.

A total of 585 police personnel secured the 37 polling centers for the plebiscite.

The officers wore body cameras as they went about their duties for the regional command to continuously monitor them through an internet platform.

The local police set up eight checkpoints in Calaca and nearby towns.

Calaca became the fifth city in Batangas and the first in the province’s first district.

It followed Santo Tomas, which was officially declared a city in 2019.

The three other cities in Batangas are Tanauan, Lipa and the capital Batangas City.