A voter places her ballot in a PCOS machine after voting at precint 169 of San Antonio High School in Makati City. INQUIRER file photo / ARNOLD ALMACEN
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold a voting simulation on Saturday in San Juan City in preparation for the May 2022 national and local elections.
Comelec will hold the simulation in San Juan Elementary School using four classrooms as polling precincts, and three classrooms as holding areas. A total of 3,564 test voters will join the simulation on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“While we definitely expect these health and safety protocols to impact voting hours and the number of voters that may be allowed to vote at a given time, we are confident that this activity will help us to streamline the overall voting experience,” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in a statement.
During the simulation, all participants will be required to follow health standards like wearing of face masks and face shields while inside the voting center and polling place, as well as the observation of a one-meter physical distancing and proper cough and sneezing etiquette.
Temperature checkers and plastic barriers will be present with designated COVID-19 marshalls and medical personnel.
Comelec said that it will also install a Voter’s Assistance Desk (VAD) for securing one’s precinct and sequence numbers.
Meanwhile, voters registering a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees will still be allowed to vote through the Isolation Polling Place (IPP), while an Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP) will be available for those in the vulnerable sector, such as persons with disability, senior citizens and heavily pregnant women.
According to the Comelec, the objectives of the simulation activity are as follows:
1. To determine the average time frame in the verification process of the identity of the voters in the Election Day Computerized Voting List (EDCVL) based on 800 registered voters per clustered precinct, in order to come up with proposals aimed to streamline the process of verification for purposes of the May 9, 2022 NLE;
2. To identify other areas of concern or issues in the verification process, taking into consideration the minimum health and safety protocols; and
3. To devise measures that will decongest polling places and implement procedures that will ensure completion of the voting process in the shortest possible time.
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