THE plebiscite for the possible division of Palawan into three separate provinces can be decided even with only a few of its locals casting their voters, according to the Commission on Elections.
Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho said on Monday the outcome of the plebiscite will be decided by the majority of the votes cast rather than a certain threshold.
Nevertheless, he said they will try to make sure that most of the 490,639 registered voters in Palawan will be able to participate in the plebiscite to make sure its outcome will reflect the decision of most Palaweños.
“We cannot really determine at this point in time if there will be high voter turnout as this will be the first time we will be holding an electoral exercise with a public health emergency. But we hope and we encourage voters to have a high turnout,” Kho said in a recent online forum.
Preparations by the poll body for the plebiscite slated on March 13, 2021 is now ongoing.
Last Thursday, Comelec started the information campaign for the plebiscite, through online, televised, or radio-aired messages running until March 11, 2021.
Comelec also ended on Monday the accreditation for foreign and domestic observers, who will be monitoring the conduct of the plebiscite.
Those accredited will be given passes granting them access and other privileges relating to the conduct of the plebiscite.
“The passes may be confiscated and the accreditation revoked for violation of the guidelines of the accreditation,” Comelec said in a statement.
The outcome of the plebiscite will determine if Republic Act 11259 or the Act Dividing the Province of Palawan into three provinces—Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur—will be ratified or not.
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