Comelec readies alternate sites for Kanlaon evacuees

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is preparing alternative polling sites and a contingency plan for voters displaced by the Kanlaon Volcano's activity in Negros Occidental.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated that elections will proceed without postponement in affected areas, emphasizing, "At all cost, the Comelec and its partners must find a way to have elections."

In preparation for the May 12 midterm elections, voter education and demonstrations of automated counting machines were conducted for affected voters.

Satellite voting sites will be established in evacuation centers to ensure displaced individuals can cast their ballots.

If Kanlaon volcano remains under Alert Level 3, a total of 24,362 registered voters from Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental will be transferred to safer polling places.

In the event of a worst-case scenario (Alert Level 4), up to 113,461 registered voters could be relocated, with a significant number from Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.