BY MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City – Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria has officially taken the helm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Bacolod City office as its acting city election officer, stepping in following the departure of long-time chief Atty. Kathrina Trinio-Caña.
Ananoria, who concurrently serves as the Negros Occidental provincial election supervisor, paid a courtesy call on Mayor Greg Gasataya at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday, September 21, to discuss local election readiness and infrastructure improvements.
Among the key priorities raised during the meeting was the proposed relocation of the Bacolod Comelec office to a larger, more accessible venue to improve public transactions and voter registration services. Gasataya assured the election body of the city government’s full backing.
Despite pending legislative proposals in Congress seeking to postpone the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and extend incumbent terms, Ananoria emphasized that Comelec is proceeding full-steam with operations.
“There is currently no legal basis to implement any proposed term extension,” Ananoria noted, reaffirming that preparations remain anchored on the official BSKE date set for November 2, 2026, unless a new law is formally enacted.
The local election office is gearing up for the official filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) in Bacolod City, scheduled from September 28 to October 5.
Ananoria’s designation follows the vacancy left by Trinio-Caña on September 15, 2026 after her appointment as clerk of court at the Regional Trial Court Branch 52. Trinio-Caña had served as Bacolod’s city election officer since 2020./PN
