Comelec sets up special voting centers for Marawi polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is setting up special polling centers for the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in Marawi City.

“For the barangays within ‘ground zero,’ what the Comelec will do is come up with a list of alternative voting centers, where voting for these affected barangays will be held,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said yesterday.

Jimenez noted that the Comelec is now in the process of identifying areas where the alternative voting centers will be put up.

According to Jimenez, residents of about 24 barangays are expected to vote in alternative voting centers on Sept. 22.

“They cannot go back to their areas yet where they are supposed to vote so for these 24 barangays, there will be special polling centers,” Jimenez noted.

Jimenez said the Comelec is set to release early next month the list of affected barangays.

The Comelec, Jimenez said, will also mount a massive campaign to inform the affected voters where they will be voting.

Holding the barangay and SK polls in Marawi, the Comelec said, could be a real challenge, especially to voters.

But the poll body assured the public that preparations for the manual elections and printing of official ballots for the Sept. 22 polls have been set.

“The printing of ballots will push through (today) and we expect to complete it by Sept. 1,” Jimenez said.