GUIMARAS – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in this island province extended services beyond its electoral mandate by holding an outreach and charity event in a remote island in Sibunag town.
The Comelec team traveled by boat on October 24 across the waters of Sibunag, bringing packages of medicine, food supplies, and hygiene kits to residents of the island sitio of Naoway in Barangay San Isidro.
The event marked the celebration of the commission’s 85th founding anniversary, Comelec-Guimaras said.
Anchored on the theme “Sustaining Nature, Serving Communities, A Legacy of Growth and Giving,” the event highlighted poll body’s continuing commitment to extending public service beyond electoral duties.
“Although our main mandate is to perform electoral duties with utmost fervor, we also have the civic duty to extend assistance, however small, to underprivileged sectors of our community,” Atty. Salud Milagros Villanueva, provincial election supervisor, said.
She added that the activity was a reminder that work in Comelec extends far beyond elections.
“It is about compassion, accessibility, and the constant pursuit of inclusive public service,” Villanueva said.
The outreach also included voters’ education sessions in preparation for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in November 2026.
The sessions aimed to strengthen civic awareness and ensure that even those in remote areas remain informed and empowered to participate in the democratic process.
“Democracy begins when every citizen feels seen, heard, and served. By reaching out to far-flung communities, we bring not just services, but also the spirit of democracy itself,” said Leah Uy, election officer of Sibunag.
Residents of Sitio Naoway expressed their gratitude for the effort, calling it a meaningful gesture that brought both assistance and encouragement. (PNA)
