CARMONA, Cavite – It was hard not to notice a multi-tasking female voter in a polling precinct in Carmona National High School on May 9.
While shading ovals in her ballot, Merlyn Cervantes was also busy keeping her six-month-old baby Ayesha still on her lap.

"Wala pong maiiwanan eh. Kailangan pong bumoto (There's no one to leave the baby with. We need to vote)," the 39-year-old housewife told the Manila Bulletin.
Cervantes' partner, Ariel Ayaton, was also in the same polling precinct to vote.
"'Nung nagsusulat na ako, nagliligalig dahil sa init nga. Pero nakaboto naman ako (When I was writing, she got cranky because of the heat. But I was able to vote)," Cervantes said.
Cervantes admitted that it was not easy lugging a stroller and keeping a baby calm amid the afternoon heat.
"Mahirap po sa mahirap kasi nga may bata. Eh kaso, sayang naman po 'yung boto namin (It is difficult because we have a baby with us. But we would not want to waste our vote)," she said.
