• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has committed to ensure the reliability of its power transmission operations in Negros Occidental during the May 2025 national and local elections. Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, who met with representatives of the NGCP and the distribution utilities yesterday, said they assured him that there will be no power outages on May 12.
“They also assured us of back-up power supply from other regions,” he added.
Ananoria said the batteries in the vote counting machines have a standby power of 14 hours.
Senior citizens and persons with disability may start voting as early as 5 a.m., with regular voting set from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
As the campaign for local candidates is slated to start Friday, Ananoria reminded them to remove their campaign materials outside of the authorized common poster areas, except for those in private properties.
If not removed, the Commission on Elections will send them notices for violation of election laws, he added.
Ananoria said that the contingency plan of La Castellana town for the May 12 elections was already presented to the Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Center (PJSCC).
He said they will set up makeshift polling centers in areas where the voters are.
La Castellana has the most number of residents affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, who are still staying in evacuation centers.
The PJSCC earlier recommended to place Candoni under orange category due to threats from the New People’s Army, which may affect the May polls.
In previous months, six suspected rebels died in an encounter with Philippine Army soldiers in Barangay Gatuslao, Candoni.
“Just to be sure, we are making security preparations,” Ananoria said. | GB
