Suffrage is a right by citizens and even Indigenous Peoples (IPs) are not excluded from this, giving them every right to be able to cast their vote in the May 2022 elections.
According Section 1of Article V of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, as long as you're not disqualified by law; at least 18 years old; have resided in the country at least one year and in the place wherein you propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding election; you may exercise your right to vote.
The Constitution also states that there is no literacy, property, or other substantive requirement that shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.
With regard to IPs in the country, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) promulgated Resolution No. 10767 on March 9, 2022 which contains the general instructions on how the IPs can vote during the upcoming polls.
Where to vote?
IPs may vote in Accessible Voting Centers (AVC) or Seperate Polling Places (SPP). An AVC is any building or structure located within the community where the IP voters are residing may be designated. The AVC was created according to the Comelec, to address the issue of inaccessibility of voting centers to IP voters who live in isolated or far-flung areas.
A transfer to an established precinct to be assigned exclusively in an SPP may be made for IP voters pursuant to Resolution No. 10424. The SPP was created to address the issue of discrimination committed against IP voters during the past elections, which effectively discouraged them to participate in the electoral process.
There are two types of SPPs, clustered (C-SPP) and exclusive (E-SPP). C-SPP Type A or a C-SPP with 100 to 149 IP voters shall be assigned to a Separate Voting Room (SVR) which shall be set-up, as far as practicable, next to the polling place of the clustered precinct where it belongs.
Lastly there is also an IP Emergency Accessible Polling Place (IP-EAPP) which will be established in one of the rooms located in the ground floor of the present voting center where the established precinct of the affected IP voters belong. An EAPP is a makeshift or temporary polling place where a person with disability (PWD), senior citizen, and heavily pregnant voter may vote.
Voting procedures in the AVC and E-SPP
The procedures on voting provided Articles VI and VIII of Resolution No. 10727 shall be observed in the AVC and E-SPP.
Voting in the AVC and E-SPP shall be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 9, 2022.
IP voters who have not yet cast their votes but are within 30 meters from the polling place by 7 p.m. shall still be allowed to cast their votes. The Poll Clerk of the Electoral Board (EB) shall promptly prepare a complete list in duplicate containing the names of said IP voters numbered consecutively.
The IP voters listed shall be called to vote by the Poll Clerk by announcing near the door of the polling place, in a tone loud enough to be heard throughout the polling place, each name three times in the order in which they are listed. Any IP voter in the list who is not present or does not respond when called shall no longer be allowed to vote. The said list shall be attached to the minutes.
Voting procedures in the SVR and IP-EAPP
Support Staff (SS) of the SVR and IP-EAPP upon arrival of the IP voter, shall inspect his or her fingernail for any ink stain. If there are none, he or she will be required to accomplish the Authorization Form after explaining to him or her the effect of voting in the SVR or IP-EAPP.
The SS will then verify the identity of the voter in the Election Day Computerized Voters List for IP (EDCVL-IP), and if verified, require the IP voter to sign opposite his or her name or if he or she cannot, impress his or her thumbprint in the EDCVL-IP.
The resolution stated that in case of doubt, the SVR SS or IP-EAPP SS shall require the presentation of any document for identification purposes. If no such document is presented, the voter may be identified under oath by one of the SVR SS or IP-EAPP SS or another IP voter belonging to the IP precinct assigned to the SVR.
Such identification shall be recorded in the log book of the SVR or IP-EAPP. Any registered voter belonging to the same precinct as the voter identified shall be allowed to identify only up to three IP voters.
After this, the ballot will be issued to the IP voter in the same manner as if the EB Chairperson is issuing the same. Next, the SS will instruct the IP voter to accomplish the ballot by properly shading the oval next to the candidates he or she wants to vote and remind him/her to keep the ballot clean as much as possible.
After accomplishing the ballot, it will then be inserted in an envelope. The SVR SS or IP-EAPP SS shall always ensure the security and sanctity of the accomplished ballots.
The SS will apply indelible ink to the IP voter's right forefinger nail or any other nail if there be no forefinger nail or in any other suitable part of the voter's body, if there are no fingernails and they will then request the IP voter to leave the SVR or IP-EAPP.
Voting in the SVR and IP-EAPP shall be from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 9, 2022 to ensure that there will be enough time for the accomplished ballots to be returned and fed in the VCM in the polling places where the C-SPP Type A assigned in the SVR and IP precinct assigned in the IP-EAPP belong.
Voting assistors
No voter shall be allowed to vote as an illiterate or a PWD unless such a fact is indicated in the EDCVL-IP, according to the resolution. If so, he or she may be assisted in the preparation of his or her ballot by any:
- Relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity;
- Any person of his or her confidence who belongs to the same household; or
- Any EB member in the AVC or E-SPP or SVR SS or EAPP SS.
The resolution stated that all assistors must be of voting age.
No person may assist an IP voter who is illiterate or with disability more than three times, except the EB members and the SVR SS or IP-EAPP SS.
In all cases, the resolution stated that the Poll Clerk or SVR SS or IP-EAPP SS shall first verify from the IP voter who is illiterate or with disability whether he or she had authorized the assistor to help him or her to cast his or her vote.
The assistor shall prepare the ballot using a ballot secrecy folder. in the presence of the IP voter who is illiterate or with disability. The assistor shall bind himself or herself in writing and under oath to accomplish the ballot strictly in accordance with the instructions of the IP voter and not reveal the contents thereof, by affixing his or her signature in the appropriate space in the minutes.