CITY OF MALOLOS — Bulakenyo voters are set to face an important cause in the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) because they must participate in the plebiscite to make the City of San Jose Del Monte — a fully-fledged Highly-Urbanized City (HUC).
In Resolution No. 10949 of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) issued by Consuelo Diola, director IV of the Office of the COMELEC Secretary, mainly states that the plebiscite will be held in the entire province of Bulacan.
According to COMELEC-Bulacan Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Mona Ann Aldana-Campos, it is not only San Jose Del Monte City residents who will participate in the held plebiscite for becoming a Highly-Urbanized City or HUC.
“The said plebiscite will be held on the very day of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections or BSKE on October 30, 2023, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Campos said.
She added that where the precinct of BSKE is, the plebiscite is also there.
Based on Resolution No. 10949 COMELEC, three ballots will be issued to each registered voter who casts a ballot. The first ballot is for the voting of barangay government officials from the captain to the members. The second ballot is for those who will be voted for SK chairman and SK members.
According to Campos, the third ballot was for the plebiscite where it was stated “Do you agree that the City of San Jose Del Monte, Province of Bulacan be turned into a Highly-Urbanized City?” There is a blank space after this sentence.
“The COMELEC will accept the words ‘Yes’ or ‘Oo’ as an answer if San Jose Del Monte is in favor of becoming a Highly-Urbanized City. If you don’t want or don’t agree, you can answer the words ‘No’ or ‘Hindi’,” Campos stated.
In relation to the news, the campaign for the plebiscite to make the city of San Jose Del Monte a Highly Urbanized City (HUC) was formally initiated in the City of Malolos on Wednesday.
It was led by San Jose Del Monte City Mayor Arthur Robes and Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad after the opening of the Literacy Festival.
Mayor Robes in his speech assured that even if San Jose Del Monte is separated from Bulacan politically, he said the Bulakenyos will remain the people here and it will still be part of the geography of Bulacan.
“I promised that San Jose Del Monte will continue to collaborate with Bulacan in various projects that will help the development of 20 towns and three other cities in the province,” Robes said.
On his part, Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad expressed support for the city of San Jose Del Monte to become a Highly-Urbanized City.
“The towns and cities that will remain in Bulacan will also benefit because the funds previously allocated to the said city will be distributed to other parts of the province,” Natividad said.
It was 2020 when former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued Proclamation 1057 declaring the city of San Jose Del Monte as a Highly-Urbanized City. It passed the criteria set by the Department of Interior and Local Government or DILG.
This includes having a population of 760 thousand which is more than double the required 200 thousand population. The city of San Jose Del Monte is able to allocate an income of P1 billion far from the requirement of P50 million annually.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines or LMP-Bulacan Chapter led by President Bocaue Mayor Jonjon Villanueva has also expressed support in their meeting in the town of Norzagaray. (UnliNews Online)
Source: PIA Bulacan
