Student voters from Adamson University share different experiences as they cast their vote for the midterm elections on Monday, May 12.
Student voters share swift, delayed voting experience
Published May 12, 2025 02:31 pm
At A Glance
- Some voters had to wait over an hour due to machine glitches.
Voters at Pedro P. Cruz Elementary School in Mandaluyong City had to wait for over an hour to cast their ballots after the automated counting machine (ACM) assigned to Precinct 0771A encountered technical issues. (Francy Valdez/Komunikator)
In a report by Komunikator, the official publication of the Adamson University Communication Department — a partner of the Manila Bulletin for the Matalinong Boto initiative — several students recalled how swift the voting process was.
"Mabilis naman unlike dati. Parang yung waiting time ko five minutes lang (It was fast, unlike before. I only had to wait around five minutes),” fourth-year Communication student Leanah Diongzon from Bacoor, Cavite, said.
The publication's social media manager, Lianne Coliflores from Quezon City, noted short lines and the presence of assistance desks.
"Wala na masyadong tao, so I did not have to wait for long. May desks for assistance kaya mabilis lang mahanap room [ko] for voting (There were only a few people, so I did not have to wait for long. There were also assistance desks, so I found my precinct quickly),” she said.
Graduating student Joce Puchero from Sta. Mesa, Manila, also expressed relief with the quick queue.
“Wala ng pila. Pagdating ko, pinapasok na agad ako (There was no line. I got inside the precinct as soon as I arrived),” she said.
On the other hand, student photojournalist Francy Valdez said she waited in line for over an hour to cast her vote at Precinct 0771A at Pedro P. Cruz Elementary School due to an "issue with the voting machines."
The process, however, was swift after the long wait.
"Mabilis naman mag-operate yung mga machine sadyang nagka-problema lang earlier (The machine operated quickly, it just so happened that there was a problem earlier)," Valdez said.
Meanwhile, first-time voter and Communication student Jaira Somcio, a person with disability who voted at Neptali A. Gonzales High School, lamented how she could not personally feed her ballot into the machine.
Instead, her ballot, along with her grandmother, whom she accompanied, was collected and brought to another floor, as there was no ACM at the priority lane where they lined up. She said they were asked to sign a waiver.
"Nakapila kami sa priority area sa ground floor... Tatawagin lang yung pangalan tapos papapirmahin ng waiver tapos mag-aantay lang ulit para matawag yung pangalan (We were in line at the priority area on the ground floor. They’d call out our names, ask us to sign a waiver, then we'd wait again)," she said.
“Walang machine sa area ng priority lane kasi kinukuha nila sa assigned precincts yung balota ng voter (There were no machines in the priority lane. They just collected the ballots and brought them to the assigned precincts)," she added, noting that her fingernail was inked after signing the waiver.
Somcio told the Manila Bulletin that she hoped there was an ACM in the priority area so she could check if her ballot was accepted.
"Sana po meron para malaman ng mga tao kung valid or invalid yung boto (I wish there was a machine there so people would know if their ballot was valid or not)," she said.
"Since wala pong machine, wala pong resibo. Hindi po nakikita ng mga tao (Since there is no machine there, there's no receipt. The people couldn't check it)," she added.