THE successful holding of the March 13 Palawan plebiscite should be welcomed by the Filipino people, who are set to go to the polls anew on May 9, 2022 to elect new national and local government officials.
This showed that the Commission on Elections (Comelec), chaired by Sheriff Abas, is capable of holding a peaceful and credible political exercise amid the crippling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Election Commissioner Antonio Kho thanked the people who participated in the plebiscite, which is “democracy in action,” and paid a glowing tribute to those who assisted the poll body in conducting the exercise.
Kho was commissioner-in-charge of last week’s plebiscite on Republic Act (RA) No. 11259, an act dividing Palawan into three provinces, namely Palawan Oriental, Palawan del Norte and Palawan del Sur.
Results showed that 172,304 voted “no” while 122,223 voted “yes” to the proposed division of Palawan, undoubtedly one of the favorite destinations of foreign and local tourists in this “Pearl of the Orient Seas.”
A lady lawyer described the highly-successful March 13 plebiscite as an “eye opener” not just for the voters of Palawan, but also for next year’s presidential, congressional, regional and local elections.
On the other hand, a newly-registered voter said the Abas-chaired poll body is, without doubt, in a position to ensure the holding of free, honest, peaceful and orderly balloting on May 9, 2022.
“Kayang -kaya ng mga taga-Comelec na magdaos ng halalan na hindi nasasakripisyo ang kalusugan ng mga botante, lalong-lalo na ang mga senior citizen,” according to the newly-registered voter.
In democratic societies throughout the world, including impoverished Philippines, elections, plebiscites and referenda are means by which the people, through the electorate, voice their will.
Indeed, sovereignty resides in the people.
