Voting hours during national and local elections on May 9, 2022 will be extended from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Commission on Elections revealed Wednesday, Nov. 10.

For the first time in the country’s history, there is also a possibility that handshakes, hugs, kisses and other forms of physical contact during in-person campaigns and rallies will be prohibited.

Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo told the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms that the Comelec en banc had approved of the resolution that would add one hour to the voting period which was implemented during the mid-term polls in 2019.

In making the decision hours before the Lower House proceedings, the poll body, in effect, rejected proposals to extend voting for another day.

Chaired by Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Juliet Marie De Leon Ferrer, the suffrage and electoral reforms panel has been conducting briefings on preparations for the 2022 election exercise.

Ferrer welcomed the actions taken by the Comelec as it prepares for the first election where voters and candidates are under the threat of infection of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

In the same briefing given to lawmakers Casquejo also laid down proposed rules to be followed for campaign activities of candidates while the country remains under the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among those to be presented for approval of the poll body are various restrictions in the conduct of campaign during the pandemic.

Casquejo said caucuses, meetings, conventions, rallies and miting de avance will follow the category level of restrictions imposed by the national government.

Thus, if Category 1 is being implemented in a certain locality, all campaign activities will have to be conducted observing the restrictions imposed under such caategory which allows 70 percent operational capacity of a certain venue.

In-person campaigning such as house-to-house visits will prohibit entrance to any private dwelling even if allowed by the homeowner.

The proposed campaign rule also bars the taking of ‘selfies’ photographs and other similar activities that require close proximity between the candidates and the campaign staff and the public.

Like in past campaign operations, the distribution of food and drinks will be strictly prohibited.