Comelec sets plebiscite for Bulacan city

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, residents of San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan will also vote for or against the conversion of the component city into a highly urbanized city on Oct. 30.

This developed after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) approved a resolution seeking to ratify Proclamation 1057 and declare San Jose Del Monte as a highly urbanized city.

“It is feasible to adopt the resolution intended for this coming elections as far as applicable to the conduct of the plebiscite,” the Comelec said in a statement over the weekend.

The poll body said all policies and prohibited activities imposed in relation to the holding of the barangay and SK elections would be applied in the plebiscite, except for the campaign period, which will be replaced by barangay assemblies.

During the campaign period for the barangay and SK elections from Oct. 19 to 28, the conduct of barangay assemblies or pulong-pulong for purposes of information dissemination regarding the plebiscite will be allowed, the Comelec said.

In December 2020, Malacañang issued Proclamation 1057, mandating the Comelec to conduct a plebiscite for the ratification of a proposal to convert San Jose Del Monte into a highly urbanized city.