Cityhood plebiscite deferred anew?

This refers to the deferred HUC (highly-urbanized city) plebiscite in Cabanatuan City.

It may be recalled that on July 4, 2012, President Aquino proclaimed Cabanatuan an HUC, stating that “it is the declared policy of the government to support local government’s initiative to attain their fullest development and make them effective partners in the attainment of national goals.” The proclamation, which shall take effect only upon its ratification in a plebiscite by qualified voters, was favorably endorsed by prominent political personalities like Vice President Jojo, Binay, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Chiz Escudero, Antonio Trillanes and Bong Revilla, former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and former Senator Nene Pimentel. Pursuant to the proclamation, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) scheduled the required plebiscite on Dec. 1, 2012.

Preparations were made for the anticipated event. Funds were appropriated by the city government to defray the cost of holding the referendum, law enforcers were deputized to ensure the peaceful and honest conduct of the referendum and President Aquino declared December 1, 2012 as a non-working holiday for Cabanatuan City to allow its registered voters to actively participate in the plebiscite.

To the dismay of the Cabanatueños, the Comelec suddenly postponed and reset the referendum to an unspecified date after the 2013 May 13 elections. As a result, their grand preparations were wasted. Worse, excited first-time voters felt they were disenfranchised, according to a city official. He said one of the reasons given by the Comelec for postponing the referendum was its date of holding was too close to that of the 2013 mid-term elections and the electoral body was engrossed and busy preparing for that nationwide political exercise. With just two months away from the barangay and youth council elections, the Comelec is again preoccupied and busy. So Cabanatueños fear of another postponement of the HUC plebiscite. For them, the holding of the much-awaited  HUC  referendum “is near and yet so far.”