Comelec offers special service to seniors, PWDs

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Election (Comelec) is calling on senior citizens and persons with disabilities to inform the poll body of their interest to avail of the so-called “Accessible Polling Place” come 2016.

Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said it is important that they signify their interest to avail of the services so they can provide the Comelec supplementary data also referred to as “Annex E” in the registration form.

Among the information they need to provide are specific impairment for PWDs such as physical, hard of hearing/deaf, speech, visual, non-manifest, multiple disabilities.

The applicant also needs to indicate the type of assistance needed on the day of the elections such as assistor, communication assistant, accessible precinct, and/or visual assistance.

The registering PWDs or seniors are likewise asked to declare that they will be willing to vote at the special polling place.

“We need to know if they are willing or not so that we will know whether or not to put up a special polling place in a certain precinct,” Castillano said.

He added that this vulnerable sector of society will be prioritized in the ongoing registration as each Comelec office is allotting special fast lane for seniors and PWDs.

“Katong offices nga tua sa second floor, atong inaug ang atong capturing machine para dili na sila musaka. But each office has its own schedule for this special process.

The national registration day for PWDs was in July 20 but there are areas with no power supply so we are giving consideration. They will hold it next week,” Castillano said.

Voter’s registration at designated Comelec office in the locality has been running since April until October 31, 2015.

All Comelec offices are open for registration from Sunday to Friday and are closed every Saturdays.

The provincial election officer stressed the positive results of the pilot special polling precincts undertaken in Cebu last October 2013 barangay elections, saying the region has the most number of turnout among the testing areas around the country.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 is urging PWDs in the region to coordinate with their respective local government units for the skills training and scholarship grants by the national government to them.

“Daghan kaayo tang PWDs in Central Visayas. Based on our data, we have around 15,000 in the region. and bulk of these are in Cebu City. We are also urging those in the province to approach their LGUs and register so that they can avail of the programs,” DSWD 7 social worker Asteria Geraldizo said.

She added that the national government has been offering programs to uplift their situation but they themselves have to move to avail of and maximize the assistance.

July is the National Persons with Disabilities Month. — /JMO (FREEMAN)