COVID-19 positive can’t leave quarantine to vote – Comelec

MANILA, Philippines — While everyone is allowed to cast their ballots in the May 9 polls, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia yesterday clarified that those who test positive for COVID-19 might not be allowed to leave their isolation facilities to vote.

Garcia said registered voters who test positive for COVID-19 on May 9 will be stopped from leaving isolation as per Republic Act 11332, or the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases.

He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF)’s existing guidelines strictly prohibit the movement outdoors of people who test positive for COVID.

Asked for clarification, Garcia said in a mix of English and Filipino: “Confirmed COVID patients may not be able to leave their homes or facilities [to cast their votes] because barangays are strict about this. But those with COVID symptoms but not yet confirmed, not isolated and in the polling precincts already, all we can do is allow them to vote.”

Garcia also emphasized that the Comelec would not require voters to submit negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests or antigen tests just to cast their ballots.

The Comelec earlier said voters would be required to wear face masks during election day and face shields are no longer required in areas under Alert Level 3 or lower.

DepEd full support

The Department of Education (DepEd) has vowed full support for its 640,000 personnel who will serve in the May 9 polls in its commitment to free and clean elections nationwide.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the department and its election task force (ETF) would prioritize the health, safety and welfare of its personnel on poll duty. She also urged the public, including teachers and personnel, to practice their right to vote in the coming national and local elections.

A total of 647,812 DepEd personnel will serve as poll workers in the coming elections, composed of 319,317 serving as members of electoral boards, 200,627 as EB Support Staff, 38,989 Supervisor Official (DESO), 87,162 DESO Support Staff, and 1,717 members of the Board of Canvassers.

ETF head

Marcelo Bragado said DepEd’s operation and monitoring center would be activated to assist teachers and personnel from 1 p.m. of May 8 until 5 p.m. of May 10.

Not an option

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya yesterday said the suspension of elections would not be an option as the government has ruled to allow even symptomatic individuals to cast their vote on May 9.

Malaya said that symptoms checking will be conducted in all polling centers in the country and health protocols will be strictly implemented. Those who exhibit symptoms will be brought to an isolation precinct where they can cast their vote.

The DOH will deploy their personnel and medicine for individuals who exhibit symptoms, aided by health officers from the local government unit.

The DILG and the Philippine National Police (PNP) expressed readiness to secure the elections. A total of 16,820 PNP personnel were assigned to election duties, with another 41,965 personnel assigned to man the 5,431 checkpoints nationwide.

Malaya said they have also deployed additional police units to 104 municipalities and 14 cities identified as election hotspots by the Comelec.

Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, deputy commander of the Special Task Force on the National and Local Election (STF), said they are seeking to increase election inspectors within its ranks as the number of areas under Comelec control climbed to 10 due to high threat levels.

“We already have BEIs who previously served in elections. Their number is 988 and we intend to increase this so that the PNP can respond to the request, if needed, from the Comelec who already declared 10 areas under Comelec control,” De Leon said yesterday.

The municipalities of Malabang and Tuburan in Lanao del Sur were earlier placed under Comelec control, as well as the towns of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, Marawi City and Maguing in Lanao del Sur.

Exemptions

Agriculture Secretary William Dar welcomed the Comelec decision to exempt several of the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s programs from the public spending ban as it will help boost the productivity of farmers and fishers.

Among these programs are the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, RCEF Financial Assistance program, Fuel Discount for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program, Special Area for Agricultural Development, National Rice and the National Corn Program.

Apart from exempting DA programs, the Comelec also granted the petition of Philippine Rice Research Institute for the distribution of high-quality inbred rice seeds and information materials nationwide; establishment of rice technology demonstration traits and related activities and the conduct of farmers’ field days and/or field walks. – Romina Cabrera, Neil Jayson Servallos, Catherine Talavera