BANGANGA – The local government of Baganga, Davao Oriental is gearing up for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan or SK Elections scheduled on October 30 this year to ensure a smooth and peaceful electoral process.
According to Mayor Ronald Lara, the local government is now finalizing its security plan for the local elections to prevent any possible disturbances during the voting.
Among the 18 Barangays in Baganga, two have been considered hot spots by Mayor Lara and the Philippine National Police (PNP) due to past election-related violence during previous national and local elections. Mayor Lara emphasized that the local government will strengthen monitoring in these areas during the election.
Mayor Ronald Lara said: “There are two Barangays that are considered hot spots – one is Mahang-og and the other is Binundo, particularly in Sitio Ligbawan. In the last local election, the situation in Mahang-og was already under control as we have Community Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) personnel in the upland areas, and they ensured a peaceful voting process without violence. But in Binundo, it remains a challenge for me to maneuver and professionalize the voting process to avoid violence and ensure that those who should not be voting will not have a chance to do so. That’s why I’m closely monitoring Binundo, particularly Tigbawan.”
To enhance security during the election, the local government will deploy additional security personnel to oversee the safety of the voters.
“We will have a considerable number of enforcers, including police officers and soldiers, especially in the upland areas. We will request the army to help us with additional manpower and even vehicles to carry patients if needed, so that everyone in the mountainous areas can cast their votes,” Lara added.
He expressed his hope for a successful Barangay and SK Elections with no disturbances and urged the voters to be prudent in making their choices.
“I appeal to all the voters in Baganga to cast your votes wisely in the Barangay Elections. Don’t say you won’t vote because someone else will manipulate the votes. Let us show our genuine intention to serve our community through our votes,” Lara added.
The local government is counting on the cooperation and coordination of the people in Baganga to ensure a safe and orderly Barangay and SK Elections in October.
