CABANATUAN CITY – The Commission on Elections and other government offices are exerting last ditch efforts to have power restored, at least for Election Day, in large portions of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, a ranking official said on Sunday.
Rose Arbeth De Guzman, election officer for the municipality, would not elaborate the steps being undertaken but expressed hope the efforts would yield positive result as electricity is a vital component in an automated election.
“Wino-work out naman yung power connection, most probably magkaroon kami ng power connection before the election,” De Guzman said.
The precinct count optical scan machines (PCOS) which read ballots and count votes are electronically operated.
De Guzman said there are 30 clustered precincts in the municipality, some of them situated in nine villages affected by the power cut off imposed by the First Gen Hydro Power Corporation to Pantabangan Municipal Electrix System (PAMES) on March 7, 2013 for the latter’s failure to pay its bill that amounted to P8,762,405.58 covering July to December 2012.
But De Guzman said the Comelec has put up a contingency measure should power reconnection fail in time for the polls.
“Gagamitin ko yung generator sets from the Comelec national office,” she said.
Records showed that the Comelec Property Division has sent last week nine generator sets, each with 12V battery and seven meter extension cord, to its Pantabangan office.
Received by the Guzman from Rena Sabio, supply officer IV of property division, the generator sets amounted to P268,200.
Pantabangan has over 22,000 registered voters.
