EMBO voters to choose district representatives — Comelec
Metro Manila, Philippines — Voters in former Makati City barangays now classified under Taguig City will be able to choose their district representatives in midterm polls next year based on a resolution released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a news briefing, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the full commission issued the resolution on Wednesday, Oct. 2, about the status of 10 villages in the so-called EMBO or Enlisted Men’s Barrio.
“They can now vote for the members of the House of Representatives for the first and second districts [of Taguig City],” Garcia said, adding the voters would not be disenfranchised.
The Comelec resolved to adopt the increase in the number of seats for the sangguniang panglungsod (city council) from eight to 12 for each councilor district.
Barangay Comembo, Pembo, and Rizal will be included in the first legislative and councilor district.
Cembo, South Cembo, East Rembo, West Rembo, Pitogo, Post Proper Northside, and Post Proper Southside will be part of the second legislative and councilor district.
Garcia said the decision was based on a concurrent resolution passed by Congress, as well as the disposition of the Taguig city council to include three barangays in the first district and seven barangays in the second district.
“Actually applicable sa 2025 at sa susunod na halalan [the resolution is applicable to the 2025 elections and the next polls] unless there will be a law that perhaps may create a third district in Taguig,” the poll body chairperson said of the resolution.
He said voters in EMBO barangays already passed the requirement of having a six-month residency in the place where they will vote prior to the election. The midterm elections are set for May 2025.
Garcia said the Comelec has ordered its election record and statistics department and information technology department, as well as the Taguig election officer to move the voter records to the respective legislative districts.
The poll body earlier released a resolution that would allow those from EMBO barangays to file a certificate of candidacy in the respective legislative districts in Taguig following the Senate concurrent resolution.
The Senate concurrent resolution was introduced by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who lives in Taguig.
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The 10 EMBO villages were at the center of the Taguig-Makati territorial dispute. The Supreme Court affirmed Taguig City’s jurisdiction over the barangays, which have over 200,000 registered voters.
