Negros Oriental seeks to suspend village and youth council polls, with the proposal under review by the COMELEC.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is carefully reviewing a proposal to defer the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) polls in Negros Oriental after Governor Roel Degamo sought the postponement due to security concerns. Negros Oriental has been plagued by incidents of violence attributed to communist rebels and drug syndicates. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino has filed a bill seeking to suspend the polls in select areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move that has drawn mixed reactions from various groups. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the agency will consider all factors before deciding on the deferment.