DAVAO CITY — When residents cast their votes in a plebiscite to rename their province to Davao de Oro last Friday December 7, they expect more as the new name carries the a Davao brand.
Elsa Banayon, 64, said “Kay Davao de Oro na, mas nindot na kay taga Davao man ang President, mas daghan na siguro ug grasya (Because it is now Davao de Oro, it should be more beautiful because the President is from Davao and maybe more blessings to come).
For Ali Lapay, the new name means a more aggressive governance “Sana mas mabilis na ang sebisyo at mas malawak na development (I hope the services will be faster and a wide development perspective).
The Province of Compostela Valley will soon have its new name after majority of its constituents agreed to change the name of their province when they voted to ratify Republic Act 11297 renaming it to Davao de Oro.
During the December 7 plebiscite, 174,442 voted for the renaming to Davao de Oro against 5,020 for the retention of its name Compostela Valley.
Commission on Election (Comelec) 11 regional director lawyer Remlane Tambuang, who also acted as the chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers, made the announcement inside the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall, around 10:00p.m. of December 8, after the election returns from the 11 towns were canvassed.
During the proclamation, Tambuang said the plebiscite recorded a 43.86 percent voters turnout from the 410, 261 total number of voters in the province.
But he explained, the low turnout will not affect the result of the plebiscite since the law stated this would only need a simple majority.
He said the possible reason why there were only few people who went out and vote was, they already know the result already.
Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy thanked all the people who voted during the last Saturday’s plebiscite.
Compostela Valley Police Provincial Police Office (CVPPO) Colonel Joselito Loriza said the conduct of plebiscite was generally peaceful. -Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
