BY: ANGELICA ARQUERO
In Benguet, canvassing of votes was delayed due to poor internet signal brought about by continuous rainfall.
Although voting officially ended at 7 PM on May 12, the transmission of election returns was slow.
Only the towns of Bakun, Tublay, Buguias, and Sablan had submitted their votes by 9 PM.
Sharlene Jose, a voter at the Benguet Provincial Capitol, shared, “So far, it was okay. It went smoothly and was quite fast.” She added, “Everyone’s just waiting for the results now.”
Due to the slow process, some supporters, like Aina Camsol, had already fallen asleep in their seats while waiting. “We’re willing to wait,” she said. “We just want to know the results because I have a child who ran for office.”
According to COMELEC Assistant Regional Election Director Atty. Vanessa Rodcal, the weather and topography of Benguet were major factors. “When it rains, it’s difficult to transmit. Some areas can’t even send data from their location. Although we installed Starlink, the heavy rain made signal transmission worse. Even with satellite support, signal remains unclear due to obstructions.”
Because of this, the Provincial Board of Canvassers decided to resume counting the next morning.
By 8 AM on May 13, vote transmission resumed and ballots from the remaining towns started arriving.
Kabayan was the last to submit their results around 11:30 AM.
By noon, canvassing was completed, followed by the proclamation of winners.
