Extra expense: Palawan seeks additional P50-million budget for upcoming poll

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has requested for an additional P50-million supplemental budget for the conduct of the upcoming plebiscite in Palawan to implement minimum health standards.

In an online news briefing on Thursday, Comelec Region 4B  Director Gloria Ramos-Petallo said this is on top of the P79 million already allocated by the provincial government of Palawan for the said activity last year.

She explained they will use the additional budget for voting venues.

“Before the pandemic, we can accommodate about 400 registered voters in polling precincts. However, now we could only accommodate 200 to comply with the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force on Management of Infectious Diseases] requirements observing distancing and health protocols,” Petallo said.

Comelec is set to conduct a plebiscite on March 13, 2021, for the ratification of Republic Act (RA)  11259 or the Act Dividing the Province of Palawan into three provinces—Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur.

The plebiscite was supposed to be conducted last year, but was postponed by the poll body due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Over 490,000 voters are expected to participate in the plebiscite.

Comelec is currently conducting the information drive, which will end on March 11, 2021, for the plebiscite.

Due to the ongoing preparations of the poll body for the said activity, Palawan Election Office said it has  temporarily suspended voter registration in the island province.

“Our voter registration will be suspended from Feb. 11 to March 20. It will resume on March 23 (2021),” Guno said.