MANILA, Philippines – The plebiscite for the creation of Davao Occidental province will take place simultaneously with the 2013 barangay polls on Monday, October 28.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), through Minute Resolution No. 13-0926 promulgated Aug 6, scheduled the date of the plebiscite.

Comelec recently posted on its website two related resolutions, dated Sept 6, 2013: one sets the calendar of activities and the other, the rules and regulations concerning the plebiscite.

The plebiscite period is from September 28 to November 12, during which all the bans in connection with the barangay elections will be adopted.

The information campaign period about the plebiscite will be from September 28 to  October 26.

Casting of votes on plebiscite day is from 7 am to 3 pm only.

Voters have to write either “Yes” (if they approve of the province’s creation) or “No” (if they reject it) on the ballot, after the spaces provided for the barangay positions.

Digos City and all 14 municipalities of Davao del Sur, where the new province was carved out of, will take part in the plebiscite.

Davao City, administratively independent from the province, will not participate.

The board of election tellers (BETs) appointed for the barangay polls will also act as the plebiscite committee (PlebCom).

81st province, if approved

Davao Occidental – the 81st province of the Philippines if approved in the plebiscite – was created by Republic Act 10360, signed by President Benigno Aquino III on Jan 14, 2013.

Carved out of the 2nd district of Davao del Sur, the new province would be composed of 5 towns: capital Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos, Sarangani, and Santa Maria.

The remaining 2nd district towns – Kiblawan, Malalag, and Sulop – would be merged with the 1st district of Davao del Sur, effectively becoming a lone district.

Election of its local officials, however, would take place in 2016, because RA 10360 was signed a day after the start of the election period for the 2013 midterm polls.

READ: New Davao province created, but polls unlikely

Davao del Sur (excluding Davao City) has 553,092 registered voters for the 2013 barangay elections. – Rappler.com