BANGUED, Abra (PIA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Abra together with the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) laid out strategies to address issues on network connectivity and access to far-flung voting precincts in the province.
During the 3rd Provincial joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) coordination meeting, plans on the early deployment of poll workers, availability of satellite phones and other communication equipment, and prepositioning of helicopters from the Philippine Army to respond to immediate election concerns were discussed as part of the preparations for the upcoming May 12, 2025 elections.
“Mayroon pa tayong isang PJSCC to invite other agencies if they have other communication gadgets kasi ang problema kasi dito ay kapag hindi natin malaman agad na may problema sa isang voting center ay medyo mahihirapan tayo kailangan pang mag-travel ng two days para malaman iyong problema,” Provincial Election Supervisor Nicasio Jacob shared.
Colonel Froiland Lopez, Provincial Director of the Abra Provincial Police Office assured that the police and the AFP have established communication lines for faster coordination.
“Ang ginawa naming noon is ibabato ng Armed Forces ang information through satellite phones dito sa PPO kasi sa kanila (AFP) directly manggagaling ang information,” explained Lopez.
At least 58 voting centers in 53 barangays in 10 municipalities of the province have no network connectivity while at least ten polling precincts in seven barangays in two municipalities are identified as hard-to-reach areas.
The Talipugo Elementary School in Barangay Buneg in Lacub and the Anayan Elementary School in Barangay Anayan in Tineg will take at least 48 hours of hiking to reach these areas.
The AFP also committed at least two helicopters to be prepositioned at the Abra PPO headquarters in Camp Juan Villamor in Calaba, Bangued in case needed to address election concerns in remote areas of the province. **JJMT- PIA CAR, Abra
