By JEN BAYLON

Police officers will be trained to serve as electoral board members for the May 12 midterm elections in case Kanlaon Volcano erupts, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

They will be trained to take over the duties of teachers who might be affected by the eruption and fail to serve as poll workers, Comelec-Negros Occidental provincial supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said.

Ananoria said the police training is part of the Comelec’s contingency plans in case Alert Level 4 is raised at Kanlaon.

Comelec said 81,385 voters in seven localities in Negros Occidental will be affected in case of another eruption.

The local government units include the cities of Bago, La Carlota and San Carlos, as well as the municipalities of La Castellana, Murcia, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra.

Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) is also readying safety measures and maintaining border security within Kanlaon’s six-kilometer danger zone in La Castellana town.

NOCPPO spokesperson Police Captain Judesses Catalogo said their preparations focus on ensuring the security of residents and keeping border control in affected areas.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas has deployed 200 personnel for election and disaster relief operations in Negros Oriental.

This deployment is part of a broader strategy covering six local government units in the Negros Island Region that could be affected if Kanlaon’s alert level rises.

Earlier this month, Comelec in Negros Island Region (NIR) was exploring contingency plans, such as clustered voting centers at evacuation sites, to ensure displaced individuals can exercise their right to vote.

Comelec-NIR Director Lionel Marco Castillano said some changes need to be adopted, and the established contingency plan will be followed during the electoral process in the midterm elections./JB, WDJ