The Commission on Elections in the Negros Island Region (Comelec-NIR) is aiming to increase the number of registered voters in Negros Oriental to one million ahead of the 2028 national and local elections.

Comelec-NIR Regional Election Director Lionel Marco Castillano said Wednesday that the province currently has 985,623 registered voters, still short of the one-million target.

To reach the goal, the Comelec is intensifying its voter registration campaign, particularly among vulnerable sectors, including Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and residents of geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

Castillano said the agency plans to conduct registration and voter education activities in IP communities in Bayawan City, Sta. Catalina, Mabinay and other areas.

He said Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia is also looking into establishing additional voting centers in large IP communities that do not have nearby schools or existing polling places.

The agency will assess whether IP communities are within reasonable distance of schools being used as voting centers. If not, the Comelec may establish new voting centers to make voting more accessible.

“We do not want distance to become a reason for them to skip voting,” Castillano said.

He noted that a recent visit to an IP community in Mabinay showed that residents were already living near a school designated as a voting center.

Castillano also raised concerns about candidates transporting and providing accommodation for voters living far from polling places during elections, saying such arrangements could result in captured votes.

The Comelec wants to ensure that vulnerable sectors can exercise their right to vote freely and independently, without fear, intimidation or undue influence, he added.

Voter registration resumed on Nov. 10, 2026, and will continue until July 30, 2027. (PNA)