By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday reported a total 2,431,807 registered voters in the province are eligible to participate in the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, which were earlier postponed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Provincial Comelec supervisor, Atty. Jessie Suarez, said 1,751,340 are regular voters who are 18 and above; while 680,467 are SK voters, who are 15 to 30 years old.

He added, SK voters between the ages of 18 and 30 are eligible to vote in both elections.

Suarez also reviewed the calendar of activities for the upcoming polls, including the election period and gun ban running from April 14 to May 24; while the campaign period will run from May 4 to 12.

He noted, all construction and maintenance to barangay-funded roads and bridges must cease between May 4 and 13.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City-Liga ng mga Barangay (Liga) President and Barangay Tangub Captain Noli Villarosa said he plans to forward a suggestion to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño calling for stricter policies when determining candidates in the upcoming polls.

He said it is very important to screen candidates to make sure they are not involved with illegal drugs or any other illegal activity.

The polls were originally slated for October 23, 2017./DGB, WDJ