Persons with disability (PWDs) and senior citizens may also vote in Satellite Emergency Accessible Polling Places (S-EAPP) in the May 2022 polls.
In Resolution No. 10761, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said S-EAPP refers to an EAPP temporarily established in a building used as a home or residence of PWDs and/or SCs, including rehabilitation centers and sheltered workshops, where said PWDs and/or SCs are living or outside thereof but in close proximity to, whether administered by the government or a private institution.
The S-EAPP will be established at the Hospicio de San Jose, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Rizal, and National Vocational Rehabilitation Center.
Allowed to vote in S-EAPPs are PWD and SC voters, who did not avail of voting in Accessible Polling Places (APPs); PWD voters, who failed to update their registration records during the continuing registration of voters; voters, who become disabled (temporarily or permanently) after the continuing registration of voters ended; and heavily pregnant voters, who are six months on the family way.
Voting hours in S-EAPPs is from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Comelec will sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Rappler, Inc. in Intramuros, Manila on Thursday, Feb. 24 for the upcoming polls.
Under the partnership agreement, Rappler commits its resources to help Comelec disseminate helpful information and engage the public both online and offline.
The poll body said once their Precinct Finder and Post Finder are activated, they will also be made available on Rappler's website to make these services more mobile-responsive and provide voters easy access to important information, especially on election day.
"Access to information is critical. It is just as critical that we immediately quash false, misleading, and harmful election-related information on social media. To help us on this front, Rappler has further committed to mobilize its network of fact-checkers," Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in a statement.