What’s right, what’s wrong: Comelec tells in a video

MANILA, Philippines—With less than two weeks before the May 13 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) released its final voter’s education video informing the public about the correct ways to cast their vote on election day.

Screengrab from https://www.youtube.com

In the 3.55-minute video, two of Comelec’s mascots “Boy Bawal” and “Tina Tama” join together to teach voters the process they will go through in the precincts come election day.

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters Wednesday that it “is the culmination of our tama (correct) and bawal (prohibited) [campaign].”

“It’s just re-stressing what are the correct things to do and what you are not supposed to do on election day. These are just simple reminders of the voting process,” Brillantes said.

Tina Tama outlines the right steps a voter should follow once they arrive at the voting center, while voting, when they cast their ballot, and after they have voted.

Cellphones, while allowed in the voting area, cannot be used to take pictures of their ballot, the video said.

Boy Bawal, on the other hand, enumerated the following prohibited acts:

• Voting for more than the allowed number of candidates for a position,
• Using a different marking pen other than the one provided,
• Drawing stray marks on the ballot,
• Copying from another person’s ballot,
• Using the ballot as a fan,
• Bringing water into the voting area,
• Taking pictures of one’s ballot,
• And loitering in the voting area after they have voted.

Comelec’s two previous videos featured only either one of the two and focused on the prohibited and allowed ways of campaigning.