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Long lines, delays in ballot retrieval mar early voting in Tondo, Manila

Philippines | Metro Manila

Long lines, delays in ballot retrieval mar early voting in Tondo, Manila

By Diann Calucin

At A Glance

"Maaga ako dito pero kailangan pa mag antay kasi wala pa raw, kasi walang balota (I arrived early, but still I had to wait because they said the ballots aren't here yet)," said a 62-year-old voter.

A long line of voters at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila

A long line of voters at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila

Voting at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila, now the country’s second-largest precinct with 46,179 registered voters, began Monday, May 12, under tight security, but early voters reported delays due to slow processing in priority lanes.

By 6 a.m., long lines had formed at the school’s elevators, which are designated for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had prepared a priority area for them, several seniors reported that they were forced to wait as their official ballots from precincts were located in other parts of the 10-story building.

According to poll watchers, the delays were caused by incomplete on-site ballot assignments.

Some voters questioned the consistency of this process and called for clearer guidelines to avoid confusion.

“Maaga ako dito pero kailangan pa mag antay kasi wala pa raw, kasi walang balota (I arrived early, but still I had to wait because they said the ballots aren't here yet),” said a 62-year-old voter.

Security around the school was heightened, with police officers from the Manila Police District (MPD) manning entrances and side streets.

Streets leading to the voting precincts, including parts of Zaragoza Street, were temporarily closed to traffic.

A poll watcher said delays are to be expected, given the high volume of Tondo voters anticipated in Rosauro Almario Elementary School throughout the day.

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