1.8M Negros Occidental voters

expected to cast ballots today

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

According to provincial elections supervisor, Atty. Salud Milagros Villanueva, there are approximately 1.8 million registered voters in Negros Occidental, noting, it is the fourth-largest voting population in the Philippines.

She added, there are a total of 2,353 clustered precincts across the province with 353 clustered precincts within Bacolod City, which boasts 312,816 registered voters.

The elections official also noted, there are 797 candidates seeking local office in the province.

Meanwhile, Villanueva reported there were no major hitches encountered during the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines and voter registration verification machines.

For local law enforcement, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) has deployed 3,251 election security officers and provided 57 vehicles, 41 motorcycles, 2,874 long and short firearms, and 328 radio communication handsets.

In addition, Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, Colonel Benedict Arevalo, said over 300 soldiers were deployed to Moises Padilla, which has been placed under control of the Commission of Elections (Comelec), resulting in numerous checkpoints erected in the town and neighboring areas.

Moises Padilla is the third area placed under Comelec control amid election-related killings after Daraga, Albay and Cotabato City, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao./DGB, WDJ