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MANILA— Sen. Sonny Angara has sought early voting in the 2022 national elections for approximately 10 million seniors and people with disabilities (PWD) to encourage increased voter turnout amid concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic- 19 persists until then.
Angara will submit a bill for early voting in 2022, citing how the elderly and people with disabilities face difficulties in every election due to accessibility issues in constituencies.
He also proposes extending voting hours for the general public on Election Day to encourage more people to cast their votes.
“It will be better for our seniors and PWD to have a separate voting day for them. It is very difficult for them to stand in line when it is hot and crowded, especially and there are still pandemics. We know how dangerous it is for the elderly to have COVID-19 who do not yet have the vaccine, ”Angara, a COVID-19 survivor, said in a statement Saturday.
(It would be better to have separate voting days for our seniors and PWDs. It is very difficult for them to align with others while we have a pandemic. We all know how dangerous COVID-19 is for seniors and as of now I have no vaccine.)
COVID-19, known to cause severe symptoms and even death in vulnerable older people, has continued to spread in the country and was approaching the 300,000 mark as of Friday.
Angara said setting earlier voting days for the two sectors would also speed up queues at the precincts on Election Day for the general public, allowing more voters.
The legislator also urged the Elections Commission (Comelec) to analyze the accessibility problems faced by older people and people with disabilities in electoral districts.
“Comelec should study using places like gyms and indoor courts for use by our seniors and people with disabilities on Election Day. They should also work to provide people to help them on site. ‘Wag na natin sila pahirapan pa (Let’s not give them a hard time), ”Angara said.
In seeking longer voting hours, Angara said physical distancing would limit the number of voters entering the precincts at any given time, slowing down the process.
The senator, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he will ask Comelec about the status of his election preparations when the agency faces the chamber over its 2021 budget proposal.
“We want to ask Comelec to the Nila budget audience about their preparations for 2022 and if they have contingency plans to deal with health problems. This could be additional voting hours or days or additional precincts to better observe distancing and avoid overcrowding. But there may be logistical requirements for all of these that we will request details about during your budget hearing, ”Angara said.
While changes may be necessary, he said the 2022 elections must continue as scheduled.
“The important thing is that the elections must go ahead and our electorate is safe when they go to the polls. That is why we want Comelec to start preparing now, using best practices from other countries as a guide, ”said Angara.
Earlier this week, Pampanga’s representative, Mikey Arroyo, called for the postponement of the 2022 presidential election over COVID-19 concerns, drawing criticism.
2022 Election, Sonny Angara, 2022 Angara Election, Senior Election, Disabled Election, Early Voting 2022, Plus Voting Hours 2022 Election, COVID-19 Election, Halalan2022
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