BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca, was in this city Saturday and conducted accessibility audit of polling centers in Negros Occidental for persons with disability (PWDs).
Padaca, who will be here until Tuesday, inspected the schools and check their accessibility for voters who are classified as PWDs.
Padaca, who herself is on crutches due to the polio she contracted as a child, had been urging the 79,375 registered PWD voters to fill out supplementary forms and indicate their disability and the type of assistance they would be needing for the 2016 polls.
“People like me need to update our Comelec records if we want to be identified as PWD voters and avail ourselves of the option of voting at more accessible polling places in May 2016,†said the Comelec official.
Padaca said that “for the first time, PWDs, together with senior citizens, will be given a choice of which polling places are more accessible to them. They will have the option to have their names transferred to a more accessible election precinct where they can be more comfortable.â€
New buildings should comply with the accessibility laws, she added. (FREEMAN)