MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been asked to prepare for the holding of a plebiscite to ratify a law dividing Palawan into three provinces.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases or IATF approved the health protocols for the plebiscite during its meeting on Thursday.
Palawan will be divided into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur under Republic Act 11259, which President Duterte signed in April 2019.
The plebiscite, which was supposed to be held in the second Monday of May, was reset to the first quarter of next year due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Roque said the protocols include voting for two days, with five voters in a room at any particular time.
The IATF said registered voters aged 18 to 21 and 60 and above, those with comorbidity and other health risks as well as pregnant women are exempted from mobility restrictions during the plebiscite.
Roque said the poll body should come up with mechanisms to ensure that COVID-19 patients can also exercise their right to vote.