Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the request from Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo to synchronize the city's plebiscite, which will determine its status as a highly urbanized city, with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for November 2.

According to Philippines News Agency, the decision was made through Minute Resolution No. 26-0526, where the Comelec en banc adopted the recommendation of Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Ola±o. The request from Mayor Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo of Naga City, initially submitted on June 25, was approved, allowing the plebiscite for the ratification of Presidential Proclamation No. 1267 to coincide with the BSKE.

The resolution further specified that only registered voters of Naga City, which is an independent component city, will be eligible to vote in the plebiscite. This move aligns with Section 453 of the Local Government Code of 1991, which necessitates a plebiscite for the ratification of a presidential proclamation converting a city into a highly urbanized city, as outlined in Article 12 (b) of Administrative Order No. 270.

Mayor Robredo, who personally received the approved resolution at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, emphasized that synchronizing the plebiscite with the BSKE would significantly reduce costs compared to conducting it separately. She indicated that holding the plebiscite independently could double the estimated costs to approximately PHP50 million.

Currently, Naga City has 119,259 registered voters, as reported by Comelec.