Elderly, PWD voters
WITH more than 60 million registered voters, including senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs), there’s really a need to decongest the country’s polling precincts on Election Day.
This, if we want to maintain social distancing on May 9, 2022, when the nation goes to the polls to elect the successor of President Duterte and other national and local government officials.
We, thus, commend the House of Representatives for approving House Bill (HB) 9562 that seeks to allow early voting for the millions of senior citizens and PWDs throughout the country.
HB 9562 is a consolidation of 10 related measures authored by several district and party-list legislators, including Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who is a lawyer.
The other authors are Reps. Helen Tan, Estrellita Suansing, Horacio Suansing Jr., Michael Edgar Aglipay, Pantaleon Alvarez, Edward Maceda, Ronnie Ong and Precious Hipolito Castelo.
Rodriguez, a House deputy speaker, said allowing early voting for the elderly and the handicapped is also seen to lessen the possibility of coronavirus transmission.
Note that early voting is already allowed for certain individuals, such as teachers, who serve in the board of election inspectors (BEIs) in polling precincts on Election Day.
Under the bill, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is mandated to schedule voting for senior citizens and PWDs in establishments accessible to them within seven days before May 9.
The bill also requires the poll body, chaired by Sheriff Abas, to conduct a nationwide registration for the handicapped and the elderly to qualify them for the early voting scheme.
Our lawmakers ought to hasten the passage of the proposed legislation If indeed they have the heart and the mind for the good health, safety and welfare of our electorate.
