Council okays P3M for Pagla-um plebiscite

THE Bacolod City Council has approved the release of P3-million to fund the conduct of the plebiscite slated December 15, 2012 on the creation of Barangay Pagla-um.

The amount was based on the cost estimate that was given by the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations of Comelec Main Office, Distrito added.

Councilor Caesar Distrito, author of the ordinance, said the request was endorsed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia to appropriate such amount to push through with the said plebiscite.

The amount will cover the overtime pay of Manila and local Comelec personnel and the per diem of the teachers who will serve in the plebiscite.

The honorarium is reportedly P3,000 per teacher in the 110 precincts and the estimated expense is P30.00 per voter.

“With the approval of the said appropriation, it is now 90 percent sure that the plebiscite will be implemented this December 15, 2012 that will be participated by the residents of Barangay Mansilingan,” Distrito said.

Earlier, Distrito and Bacolod Comelec City Election Officer lawyer Mavil Majarucon-Sia had a conference with Comelec-Manila as to the conduct of the plebiscite and as to the amount needed for the said activity.

With the passage of the supplemental budget for the conduct of the plebiscite, the letter of the mayor requesting for the plebiscite and the certification of availability of funds will then be submitted to Comelec-Manila, in compliance with the final requirements prior to the Comelec en banc's approval.

Distrito said the Comelec en banc will then include it in the agenda and pass the necessary resolution related to the plebiscite.

“Residents of the barangay will now be given the chance to decide if they wanted to have a Barangay Paglaum or not. I am sure that the Paglaum residents will now be happy because, after 24 years, the plebiscite will materialize,” Distrito said. (Carla N. Canet)