Kanlaon victims to vote in alternate polling centers

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will not allow people displaced by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros to return home on May 12 to cast their votes.

Due to the OCD order, the evacuees may cast their votes at evacuation centers, the nearest polling centers or makeshift polling precincts, according to Ian Lee Ananoria, Negros Occidental election supervisor.

Displaced voters in La Castellana and Bago City would cast their votes at evacuation centers or the nearest polling precincts, Ananoria said.

He said intensified campaign activities are expected in the run-up to the May 12 elections. Political rivalries may also heat up, he said.

Except for Candoni, 31 towns and cities in Negros Occidental, including the capital Bacolod are classified under the green category or areas without election-related security concerns.

Candoni is classified under the orange category due to the presence of serious armed threats, Ananoria said.

In the wake of Kanlaon’s increasing unrest, La Carlota Mayor Rex Jalando-on has prohibited mass gatherings in public areas as these can heighten community vulnerability and impede emergency response operations.