Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, is pushing for the holding of early voting for close to 10 million senior citizens and persons with disabilities to ensure greater participation in the scheduled 2022 elections and to reduce the risks on their health due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Angara aired his concern about how seniors and PWDs continue to be disenfranchised or are facing difficulties in casting their votes because of issues on access and the fact they have to line up with millions of other voters at the precincts.
Angara said it is better for the senior citizens and PWDs to vote on separate days.
“Napakahirap para sa kanila na pumila pa habang mainit at makipagsiksikan 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,” he added.
(It will be difficult for them to line up and force their way just to vote which is made more difficult by the current pandemic. We know what the elderly face as there is still no vaccine)
As an advocate for the protection of the rights and welfare of senior citizens and PWDs, Angara is set to file a bill that would pave the way for their early voting in the 2022 general elections.
Angara explained that implementing early voting for seniors and PWDs would also help in speeding up the queues at the precincts, thus, allowing more voters to cast their ballots.
Apart from allowing seniors and PWDs to vote an earlier date, Angara said that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should also look into using accessible polling places so that there will be no disincentive for them to cast their votes.
He noted how a significant number of seniors and PWDs have to climb up the stairs of public schools to cast their votes, which he said is extremely challenging for many of them.
“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 on site. ‘Wag na natin sila pahirapan pa,” Angara said.
(Let us not make things difficult for them)
Apart from setting an earlier voting date for these particular sectors, Angara said he would also push for extending the voting hours to accommodate more voters.
With the rules on the new normal expected to be implemented during the elections, including physical distancing and limiting the number of people entering precincts at any given time, Angara said he would suggest to the Comelec to open the polls at an earlier hour or end at a later hour.