CEBU, Philippines - Some half a million official election ballots for Cebu City will arrive this afternoon at the City Hall where they will be kept sealed and safe before distribution to polling precincts on election day.
City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva, custodian for election supplies and other paraphernalia, said they already informed the political parties about the arrival so they can send representatives to witness the receipt of the ballots.
The ballots will be shipped from Manila via Air 21. They are scheduled to arrive by 1pm.
“We will also inform kaning sa Church, citizen’s arm and other interested people who would like to watch the official ballots sa City Hall sa ground floor,” she said.
The city has requested for 12 police personnel to guard each 10-footer van that will deliver the ballots. Oliva said they are not certain yet how many vans would be utilized in the delivery, but each truck would reportedly have two police escorts.
Election supplies such as bond papers, ink, and liquid erasers have arrived yesterday.
“Ang mga envelopes wala pa nangabot so mag-expect mi na karong gabii or ugma sa buntag ba, even Sunday. That’s why the office is open Sunday,” Oliva said.
Also today, Oliva is set to meet with the officials of the Cebu City Police Office and Central Command to discuss security of the election paraphernalia.
Like the ballots, the election supplies and other paraphernalia will be kept inside a room at City Hall.
Twelve distribution centers will be installed in the city, six centers each in the north and south districts. Each distribution center is a cluster of different polling centers.
The CTO will transfer all supplies to each distribution center on May 7. All Board of Election Inspectors of 84 polling centers in Cebu City will claim the election forms and supplies from their respective distribution centers on May 8.
Distribution centers in the south district include Babag Elementary School, Guadalupe Elementary School, Labangon Elementary School, Mambaling Elementary School, San Nicolas Elementary School and Pardo Elementary School.
In the north district, the distribution centers include Guba Elementary Schol, Cebu Normal University, Cebu Technological University, University of the Philippines in Lahug, Talamban National High School and Mabolo Elementary School.
The complete list of corresponding polling centers for each distribution center is available at the treasurer’s office.
On May 9, CTO will transfer the official ballots to each distribution center. They will be delivered to the polling precincts on May 10 from 2am to 5am. Oliva said 54 vehicles will be used for the delivery.
There are 515, 543 qualified voters in Cebu City, some 278, 222 are from the south district and 237, 321 from the north district. – THE FREEMAN