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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 14 malls set to participate in mall voting pilot test for BSKE - Comelec

14 malls set to participate in mall voting pilot test for BSKE - Comelec

Published Aug 7, 2023 07:06 am

A total of 14 malls will be participating in the pilot test of the Commission on Election's (Comelec) mall voting scheme that aims to provide convenience, especially for senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

 

MB file photo.jpg
(MB file photo)

In an interview on Monday, August 7, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that if this pilot test will be successful, they plan to conduct this nationally in the May 2025 elections. He added that this is the first time that this will be done.

"Convenient, orderly, and safe since we will ensure that the voting process will be secure," Garcia said in Filipino.

On Monday, Comelec signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSKE) on Oct. 30. Garcia said that this move will also prevent damages to school equipment since precincts are located in schools. 

Garcia explained that they consulted with barangays near malls and stated that only those who were willing to have their precincts transferred to malls to cast their votes there will be part of the pilot test. 

A total of 12 malls in Metro Manila will be part of the pilot test while two others will be in Cebu and Legazpi.

"Alam niyo po hindi namin pinuwersa ang mga kababayan natin. Bago po kami pumunta sa isang mall o sasabihing magkakaroon ng mall voting nagkaroon pa muna kami ng consultation sa pamamagitan ng local Comelec (office) namin at maraming sumang-ayon (We did not force our citizens to particpate. Before we went to a mall to discuss the idea of mall voting, we first held a consulation through our local Comelec offices and a lot of them agreed)," he said.

The poll chief disclosed that roughly 300,000 voters will be involved in the pilot test. Through this, Garcia said that they will be able to observe both the advantages and disadvantages this would bring in terms of equipment, the space that will be provided by the mall, and also the aspect of vote buying.

Meanwhile, Garcia mentioned that the poll body will not be spending anything for the pilot test as this is part of the malls' corporate social responsibility.

Related Tags

BSKE 2023 Comelec Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commission on Elections BSKE
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