KALIBO, Aklan – On May 9, 304 public elementary and high schools in the province of Aklan will be used as polling centers for the national and local elections.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will also open 25 multipurpose pavements, daycare centers, barangay halls, barangay health centers, cultural and sports centers, covered court, public stage and evacuation centers on Election Day.
A total of 409,000 voters are expected to troop to 694 clustered precincts in Aklan, data from Comelec showed.
Aklan posted 80.8 percent voter turnout in the 2019 midterm elections, while the turnout in 2016 was 86.03 percent of registered voters
Classes in elementary and high schools in Aklan are also suspended from May 2 to 13 due to election activities.
Teachers and non-teaching personnel assigned as members of the Electoral Board will perform election duties, according to Aklan Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Miguel Mac Aposin.
“All set na sila sa kanilang poll-related activities. Sa mga schools, ito ay inihahanda bilang polling precincts,” he stressed.
Aposin added that six teachers cast their votes through local absentee voting at DepEd Aklan Division Office in Numancia, Aklan.
The absentee voters voted only for national positions, namely, party-list representative, president, vice president and 12 senators.
Meanwhile, some 35 elementary and high schools started to conduct limited face-to-face classes for learners.
There are also 51 public schools in the province ready to resume in-person classes, subject to validation by the regional education office./PN
