Comelec increases board seats in 21 provinces

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has increased the number of seats in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial boards) of 21 provinces whose income classifications were recently raised by the Department of Finance (DOF).

The DOF issued an order on Nov. 5 changing the income classifications of several local government units, including 23 provinces.

The order takes effect on Jan. 1 next year, four months before the midterm elections.

Comelec Resolution No. 11085 dated Dec. 6, a copy of which was released to the media on Wednesday, noted that the number of seats in the provincial board depends upon the province’s income classification and is provided under Section 41(b) of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended by Republic Act No. 8553.

42 new positions

First- and second-class provinces will have 10 regular members while third- and fourth-class provinces will have eight.

This means the 21 provinces whose income classifications were raised a notch higher by the DOF all gained two seats, or 42 new provincial board seats up for grabs in next year’s midterm elections.

The provinces whose board seats were increased from eight to 10 were Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Quirino, Aurora, Marinduque, Romblon, Catanduanes, Guimaras, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Davao Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

The provincial board seats of Batanes, Siquijor and Camiguin were increased from six to eight.

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Adjustment

Benguet, raised from second to first class, will continue to have 10 provincial board members. The new province of Maguindanao del Norte, which the DOF classified as fourth class, will have eight board seats.

The code authorizes the Comelec to adjust the number of seats in the provincial board whenever a province’s income classification is changed.

As the period of filing of candidacies has already ended, the Comelec resolution noted that in case the number of board seats exceeds the number of candidates, the code authorizes the President to fill the vacancy.

The Comelec said data from its Election Records and Statistics Department showed that the number of board candidates is more than the allocated seats in all the concerned provinces except Biliran.