75 PWDs, seniors cast vote in mall

CEBU, Philippines - At least 75 persons with disability and senior citizens had cast their votes at SM City Cebu, one of four pilot polling places in the country for PWDs and elders during yesterday’s barangay election.

The turnout, however, was below the 100 voters that the Commission on Elections expected.

Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca said they conducted a survey in Barangay Mabolo prior to the election to determine the polling place preference of the PWDs and senior citizens.

“We went to them (PWDs and SC) house-to-house para tanungin sila: would you like to have the first time experience of voting in a mall or staying in your regular precinct in the school?” said Padaca.

She said they asked the consent of PWDs and senior citizens in the barangay to choose either a school or a mall to vote and 75 of the respondents preferred the mall.

There are 180 PWDs recorded in Mabolo but Padaca said the listed PWDs may not be all voters and that not all of them were informed about the pilot polling places.

The SM polling place served as a test for the national elections in 2016.

“There is a supplemental form if you are a PWD ilalagay mo doon kung hearing, visually or physically impaired para alam namin ang needs,” Padaca said.

Jesus Rubin, 79-year-old PWD, opted to vote at the pilot center, saying it was more convenient.

“Mas ganahan ko sa SM kay dali lamang ang pag-vote itandi sa didto (Mabolo Elementary School) nga samok kaayo,” Rubin said

Maria Ferreras, 87, said yersterday’s barangay election was far better than the national and local elections.

“Maayo gyud sa mall kay bugnaw, dili gubot ug orderly na kay daghan ng kausbanan (pilot polling place),” Ferreras said.

Meanwhile, a PWD voter in Barangay Pari-an complained after his precinct, which was supposed to be on the ground floor of  Tejero Elementary School, was transferred to the second floor.

Antonio Tan, 75, asked the Board of Election Tellers to transfer his precinct number to the ground floor.

But the BET refused, explaining that they can no longer make the unnecessary adjustment because it will create further chaos.

“Mireklamo ko ngano gibalhin ug mihangyo pud ko pero wa siya (BET) mosugot nga ibalhin ko sa silong kay naa na daw sa record tapos di na pwede usbon. Lagot kaayo ko,” Tan said.

The same scenario happened at Camp Lapu-Lapu Elementary School.

School principal and election supervisor Teresita Manzanada said the precinct number has been changed due to re-clustering of precincts.  — /LPM (FREEMAN)