INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said Friday that they are expecting an 85-percent voter turnout in the May 9 national and local elections
PPCRV is a non-partisan and non-profit organization that helps the Commission on Elections (Comelec) attain “clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections.”
“Well, ako very positive ako at very optimistic, kaya ang iniisip ko diyan aabot tayo ng 85 percent sa voter turnout,” PPCRV Director Arwin Serrano said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(Well, I’m very positive and very optimistic, so I think we will reach 85-percent voter turnout.)
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Serrano said there are 106,174 polling precincts, excluding the special polling precincts, and around 37,000 voting centers nationwide for this year’s polls.
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He assured the public that there will be PPCRV presence in polling areas.
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Since the May 9 elections would be the first held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Serrano noted that one of the challenges that they may face is social distancing.
“Well, una iyong ating social distancing. Hindi natin alam kung talagang ganap na mapapasunod iyan. Iyong wearing of mask, most likely susunod naman iyong mga botante natin. And then iyong mga pagka-crowd ng mga tao not only in the voting centers but also outside,” said Serrano when asked what hurdles they see.
(Well, first, our social distance. We do not know if that will be observed. The wearing of a face mask most likely will be complied with. And then, the crowding of people, not only in the voting centers but also outside.)
He likewise hoped that there would be no attempts of vote-buying and vote-selling.
The PPCRV will have a voters’ assistance desk that will guide voters on where they will vote and where their room assignments are, among others, according to Serrano.