Comelec provincial office to be relocated at Larsian

CEBU, Philippines - The provincial office of the Commission on Elections will be transferred soon to Larsian in Fuente Osmeña to give way for the construction of a new building in its current location at the Baex area inside of the Capitol compound.

Comelec provincial supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano, however, does not want to transfer outside of the Capitol compound. He said the Larsian area is usually flooded during rainy season.

Castillano said the Comelec office also needs to be near the Provincial Treasury Office especially that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are coming. All election supplies will go through the treasury office. 

Governor Hilario Davide III said the transfer would be temporary because the Comelec will be provided an office space in the new building.

  The Comelec presently occupies a portion of the Baex building, which was already declared unsafe after the 2013 earthquake. The Capitol will demolish it and build a new 12-storey building through Public-Private Partnership.

The building design, however, is yet to be completed. Davide said he is not also sure if the construction can start next year because it still subject to bidding. (FREEMAN)