Beyond 3 p.m.

I was there when the gates closed at Cebu City's largest voting center when the clock struck 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The school bell made a resounding warning for those who wanted to still vote for their next village and youth council chief. Filipinos, they say, are always buzzer beaters. Others made it in the nick of time but a majority were shut off, only to be sent home. They clamored, shouted, and tried to fight the teachers in charge of the polls. Those in authority did not budge; they were simply following the national guidelines set by the Commission on Elections.

How did the voters forget about this very important detail? I could only think of a few but the best reasons. First, they are more used to the conduct of the national elections. When the polls were automated, Comelec set the voting hours until 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. It gave them more time to catch up, especially those who had work or were simply avoiding the scorching heat of the sun. We didn’t have a barangay election in such a long time; the basic protocols could have been forgotten.

The second reason is the way the media reported on this very important election. Networks and newspapers were so engrossed with the preparations of the elections itself; arrival of ballots, security deployment, teachers’ training, and the like. The change in time that polls would close at 3 p.m. was forgotten, let alone even explained. They said that the teachers would like to start their manual counting a bit early because it would be very taxing. Indeed, some of those who served as the electoral board didn’t get sleep until they counted the last ballot. They had to be sideswept by those who complained for the validity of the ballots which also took time.

This is where voter's education should have been an important key player. If there were multiple efforts to educate the public on the conduct of the elections, including the change in time, then the multitude of grumpy would-be voters would have been avoided. There was a need to give the media basic information that the public needed to remember; the number of policemen and other law-enforcement agencies serving could have been secondary.

It could have also been the time for influencers to use their following for the conduct of the elections. They could have been agents of information to help Comelec whose hands are already full with preparations. Not to mention, we have a province under Comelec control this year.

Every vote counts as it is everyone's basic right. Regardless if there is a different motive behind casting one's ballot, it is still their right to do as constituents of the barangay. If those wasted votes were added together, it could have made a difference. It is a point of reflection not only for media reportage but for those with influence. We must use the privilege to speak to a wide audience wisely.