Comelec conducts b’gay registration in Kalinga

By Peter A. Balocnit

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Eleven barangays in the province conducted registration of voters to help the Commission on Elections in support to electoral reforms under the Aquino administration.

Provincial Elections supervisor Rogelio Bagtang said registration was conducted in four barangays in Balbalan, two in Tinglayan, four in Lubuagan, and one in Tabuk

Barangay officials requested Comelec for registration in barangays of said towns as follows: Balbalasang, Balbalan Proper, Talalang, and Pantikian of Balbalan; Basao and Mallango of Tinglayan; Upper and Lower Uma, Tanglag and Mabongtot and TabukCity’sCalanan.

“Upon request of the barangays, this was immediately forwarded to Comelec Cordillera regional office for approval of Director Julius Torres,” Bagtang said adding the schedule and resources were available.

He said registration aimed to accommodate old voters and persons with disabilities. “With the process brought down to the barangay level, these sectors could register and exercise their right to suffrage,” Bagtang said.

The offsite registration served as an opportunity to validate voters’ registration in the barangay, taking of biometrics, and confirming deaths of voters for permanent deletion in the voters list. “To process biometrics, generator sets were used in off-grid barangays,” Bagtang said.

He said Comelec personnel in the concerned municipality and barangay officials helped during the registration with the barangay providing the venue, food, additional manpower and mobility.

Other barangays especially those in the far flung areas were encouraged to do the same and request for field registration any day of the year.