The Parañaque city government and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the commission's "mall voting" project, wherein malls will be utilized as additional venues for voting.
According to the Office of Representative Edwin Olivarez, the signing of the MOA was held on June 6 at the Parañaque Sports Complex.
Parañaque and Comelec MOA signing at Parañaque Sports Complex/Photo taken from Facebook page of Cong. Edwin Olivarez
The MOA was signed by representatives of Parañaque’s political parties led by Ferdinando “Ding” Soriano, Olivarez chief of staff for Bagong Parañaque; representative of Vice-Mayor Joan Villafuerte for Liberal Party (LP); Councilors Marvin Santos for Lakas CMD, Pablo Gabriel for PDP Laban, and Nina Sotto for National Party Coalition (NPC). SM City Sucat was the chosen venue in Parañaque for the mall voting project. The MOA was also signed in the presence of Comelec representative Atty. Nesrin B. Cali, and Election Officer IV Atty. Mario Vernar Esguerra. As stated in the provisions of the MOA, the agreeing political parties, through their representatives, would allow to transfer the voting venue for five cluster precincts of the city, with a population of 2,481 voters, from Parañaque National High School - Main to SM City Sucat. Cong. Edwin principally authored House Bill No. 6854 or the “Mall Voting Convenience Act of 2023” earlier this year. The bill is currently pending with the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms as of January 30 which is in line with the Comelec’s aim for such project. According to Atty. Cali, Comelec continues to seek ways to make voting a pleasant experience. To date, Parañaque’s SM City Sucat is among the other 14 malls chosen as pilot areas for the implementation of the project. If the pilot runs will be successful, the malls would become the designated voting locations permanently.
Parañaque and Comelec MOA signing at Parañaque Sports Complex/Photo taken from Facebook page of Cong. Edwin Olivarez
The MOA was signed by representatives of Parañaque’s political parties led by Ferdinando “Ding” Soriano, Olivarez chief of staff for Bagong Parañaque; representative of Vice-Mayor Joan Villafuerte for Liberal Party (LP); Councilors Marvin Santos for Lakas CMD, Pablo Gabriel for PDP Laban, and Nina Sotto for National Party Coalition (NPC). SM City Sucat was the chosen venue in Parañaque for the mall voting project. The MOA was also signed in the presence of Comelec representative Atty. Nesrin B. Cali, and Election Officer IV Atty. Mario Vernar Esguerra. As stated in the provisions of the MOA, the agreeing political parties, through their representatives, would allow to transfer the voting venue for five cluster precincts of the city, with a population of 2,481 voters, from Parañaque National High School - Main to SM City Sucat. Cong. Edwin principally authored House Bill No. 6854 or the “Mall Voting Convenience Act of 2023” earlier this year. The bill is currently pending with the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms as of January 30 which is in line with the Comelec’s aim for such project. According to Atty. Cali, Comelec continues to seek ways to make voting a pleasant experience. To date, Parañaque’s SM City Sucat is among the other 14 malls chosen as pilot areas for the implementation of the project. If the pilot runs will be successful, the malls would become the designated voting locations permanently.