By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a memorandum circular directing all incumbent village officials to conduct an inventory of all government properties under their custody in preparation for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 30.
According to the memorandum circular, government properties need to be turned over to the elected barangay and SK officials in the October polls before November 30.
The inventory will include the listing of all government properties entrusted to the incumbent officials and the liquidation of financial transactions before the end of their term.
DILG-Negros Occidental provincial director Teodora Sumagaysay said officials who fail to comply with the memorandum may face penalties.
She added that the severity of the penalties will depend on the evidence presented against the violators.
Sumagaysay also urged the public in the upcoming elections to vote wisely.
She requested elected officials to cooperate with the regulations by the DILG.
The election period for the village and youth polls will run from August 28 until November 29, while the campaign period is set from October 19 to 28.
Over 2 million registered voters
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental said a total of 2,014,725 voters had been registered in the province for the barangay and SK polls.
During a media briefing yesterday, Comelec-NegOcc revealed the province has 660,709 registered voters in 2,172 established precincts for the youth polls.
Negros Occidental has a total of 12,674 established precincts and 5,704 clustered precincts.
In capital Bacolod City, 340,098 voters have been registered in 2,220 established precincts and 908 clustered precincts.
Registered voters for SK were 100,446 in 2,176 established precincts.
Bacolod was followed by Kabankalan City for the highest number of registered voters with 108,720 in 623 established and 298 clustered precincts in 32 villages.
The city also has the highest number of registered voters for SK polls at 34,791.
At the district level, the province’s 3rd district has the biggest number of registered voters at 322,161, while the smallest number of registered voters is 4th district with 251,051./DGB, WDJ