(File Photo) EAGER AND ABLE People with disabilities were among the early voters who turned up on Monday at Marick Elementary School in Cainta, Rizal province. They cast their ballots with the help of schoolteacher Cez Dolar acting as election official. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Sonny Angara is pushing for early voting for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to ensure greater participation in the electoral process for the 2022 national elections and to also contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
He said seniors and PWDs are often disenfranchised during election day because of a lack of access and the fact that they have to line up with millions of other voters at the precincts.
Cases of PWDs and seniors having their precincts being located at the upper floors of school buildings have been a common episode during elections days.
“Mas makakabuti para sa ating mga seniors at PWDs na may hiwalay na araw ng pag boto para sa kanila. Napaka hirap para sa kanila na pumila pa habang mainit at makipag siksikan sa mga tao lalo na at may pandemiya pa. Alam naman natin kung gaano kadelikado para sa mga may edad na ang COVID-19 na hanggang ngayon ay wala pang bakuna,” said Angara.
(It would be beneficial for our seniors and PWDs to have a separate day to cast their votes. It’s hard for them to line up under the heat and squeeze their way in with the other people especially that there’s still a pandemic going on. We all know how dangerous for old people COVID-19 is especially now that we still don’t have a vaccine.)
Angara, an advocate for the protection of rights and welfare of seniors and PWDs, is set to file a bill that would pave the way for the early voting.
The senator added that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should also look into using accessible places so that seniors and PWDs will be encouraged to vote.
“Comelec should study using venues such as gymnasiums and covered courts for use of our seniors and PWDs on election day. They should also work on providing people to assist them onsite,” said Angara who’ll also propose to extend the voting hours.
Angara’s expecting that rules on the “new normal” will be implemented come the 2022 elections and that he sees social distancing protocols to still be observed.
With fewer people allowed inside precincts, this would cause a longer election day and Angara said that extending the hours for people to cast their ballots would be key come 2022.