Only fully vaccinated individuals against Covid-19 are allowed to participate in election-related activities for the May 2022 local and national polls, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said on Tuesday, March 22.

In news briefing, Densing stressed that vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals may join outdoor election campaign activities provided that social distancing is followed as much as possible.

“Sa indoor (election) campaigns, kailangan fully vaccinated (persons) lamang ang makapsok. Maski sa Alert Level 1 (areas) (In indoor campaigns, only fully vaccinated individuals may enter),’’ Densing said.

“Sa Alert Level 1 (areas) pwede na ang (election) activities gusto lang siguraduhin na dapat pag indoor fully vaccinated (campaign participants) (In Alert Level 1, activities are allowed but will just have to ensure that all should be fully vaccinated for indoor. Even up to 100 percent capacity),’’ he added.

Based on the resolution of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Densing clarified that there is no time limit on the campaign activities of the political aspirants unless in areas where curfew hours are imposed.

He revealed that activities like night events, basketball tournaments, beauty contests and other similar events are allowed in Alert Level 1 areas during the election campaign period.

“Malinaw naman po sa ating mga panuntunan at ito po ang importansya ng sitwasyon natin ngayon na mababa na po ang ating mga kaso ng Covid19 all over the country so pinapayagan po yung mga ganung activities (The guidelines are clear and that is the importance of our situation now with the low Covid-19 cases all over the country so these activities are allowed),’’ Densing pointed out.

“May mga araw lang na bawal mangampanya, Holy Thursday and Good Friday bawal (There are days when campaigning if prohibited, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, it is not allowed),’’ Densing said.

“Kung kaya nilang mangampanya ng 24 by 7 di gawin po nila pero may mga araw lang na hindi pwedeng magkampanya kagaya po ng sa darating na Holy Thursday and Good Friday (If they can campaign 24 by seven they can do it but there are days when campaigning is prohibited like Holy Thursday and Good Friday),’’ he noted.

In the event of an ‘uptick’ in the number of Covid-19 cases and Alert Level, Densing explained that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the DILG may recommend to the Comelec to extend the time or days of the voting period.

“Magdepende sa assessment ng Comelec lalo at kung ano ang mangyayari sa Covid situation sa darating na linggo bago ang halalan. Sa ngayon na mababa at medyo normal na ang (Covid-19) kaso. Hinahayaan ang Comelec na magdesisyon diyan (It will depend on the assessment of the Comelec and what will happen to the Covid-19 situation in the coming week before the election. As of now the cases are low and quite normal. We let the Comelec decide on that),’’ Densing explained.

With the onset of the local campaign period on March 25, Densing disclosed that the DILG is batting for the continued vaccination process in the midst of the said political exercise.

“Sabay sabay starting March 25 national and local campaign. Sana wag pabayaan ang pagbabakuna. May mga lugar pa rin sa Pilipinas na wala pang sitenta porsyento ang target (vaccination) population (Starting March 25, the national and local campaign are done simultaneously. I hope that the inoculation will not be taken for granted. There are still places in the Philippines where the target population is less than 70 percent),’’ Densing bared.

Although there are LGUs that fall within the Covid-19 case data, Densing stressed these areas have not been downgraded to the more relaxed level because they have not reached the 70 percent inoculation target population and required vaccination rate for senior citizens. (Chito A. Chavez)