By JEN BAYLON

The Negros Occidental provincial government is preparing a comprehensive list of its ongoing and upcoming projects to be submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in compliance with the election ban.

The list aims to ensure that projects scheduled for implementation during the election period are exempted from the restrictions outlined by the Omnibus Election Code.

Provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz emphasized that they are proactively informing the Comelec about the provincial government’s ongoing infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects.

This will help avoid project delays, particularly the prohibition on public works construction and the delivery of materials, during the election period from March 28 to May 11.

“While ongoing projects do not usually require Comelec approval, we want to ensure transparency and avoid any issues, so we are notifying them in advance,” Diaz said.

“For projects that have not yet started but are set to begin during the election period, we are seeking the necessary exemptions from Comelec,” he added.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, public works projects and the delivery of materials are prohibited during the election campaign period unless they fall under the exemptions listed in Section 261.

These include critical infrastructure or projects deemed necessary for public safety.

Diaz further assured that election-related restrictions should not hamper the province’s development agenda, as long as the projects are not politically motivated or intended to benefit any candidate.

“We are committed to delivering essential services and infrastructure to our constituents, and as long as we adhere to Comelec guidelines, there should be no problem,” he said.

The provincial government aims to submit the list of projects to Comelec soon to avoid any disruptions during the upcoming election period./JB, WDJ