ILOILO City – With the May 12 midterm elections fast approaching, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 is finalizing key logistical and security arrangements to ensure smooth and orderly conduct of voting across Western Visayas.
Regional Director Dennis Ausan said that while no major obstacles have emerged so far, the electoral process involves complex operations that require early and meticulous planning.
“We are focusing on the administrative aspects of the election, particularly in terms of scheduling and deployment,” said Ausan. “Although the final schedules are not yet completed, we are working with projected timelines and have already begun coordinating the delivery and distribution of election materials.”
Preparations include the deployment of vote-counting machines (VCMs), transmission devices, official ballots, and election kits.
Coordination is also ongoing with the Office of the Provincial Treasurer for the release of election supplies and honoraria for poll workers.
Security remains a primary concern, especially in areas previously tagged as election hotspots. Comelec-6 is collaborating closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to secure polling precincts and ensure the safe transport of sensitive materials.
“We are even coordinating with the Air Force for assistance in transporting election paraphernalia to more remote areas,” Ausan added. “Every election kit must be complete—accuracy and thoroughness are vital.”
Comelec has already conducted inter-agency meetings to address logistics, potential delays, and administrative bottlenecks. The regional office is also validating the list of election areas of concern in cooperation with law enforcement.
“So far, the number of areas with serious concerns remains consistent with previous assessments,” said Ausan. “We are continuing our validation and security planning efforts for those locations.”
Further updates on deployment schedules, final lists of election hotspots, and other critical details are expected to be released by Comelec-6 in the coming weeks./PN
