House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairman FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe took up the cudgels for senior citizens and other vulnerable sectors Monday, Sept. 1 by prodding the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make the polls more accessible and inclusive for them.

Monday was the Comelec's turn to face the appropriations panel in the ongoing deliberations on the P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) or proposed national budget for 2026.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia led the agency's contingent to the House of Representatives.

Specifically, Poe asked Comelec to adopt even earlier voting hours for "PWDs (persons with disabilities), medical frontliners, first responders and senior citizens".

"Sana bigyan ng pagkakataon bumoto para tumaas from 70 percent to 90 percent like the rest of the country (Hopefully you give them the chance to vote so that their turnout will increase ftom 70 percent to 90 percent like the rest of the country),” Poe told Garcia.

The neophyte congressman explained that institutionalizing early voting would not only strengthen the voice of these sectors but also help reduce congestion and logistical bottlenecks in polling centers nationwide.

By staggering voting periods or setting aside advance voting opportunities, Comelec can ensure a smoother, more efficient process that protects both voters and election workers, Poe noted.

The Pangasinan native said these sectors continue to face structural barriers on election day, ranging from long queues and inaccessible polling places to demanding work schedules that prevent them from voting.

He warned that unless proactive measures are taken, these groups will remain at a disadvantage in fully exercising their right to suffrage.

He added that early voting is a “common-sense reform” that aligns with global democratic practices and reflects the Philippines’ commitment to fair, transparent, and inclusive elections.

Poe concluded his interpellation of Garcia by promising to help craft enabling measures in Congress that would make early voting a permanent feature of the country’s electoral system.