MANILA (UPDATE) — Local absentee voting (LAV) for the May 9 national elections began Wednesday, with qualified registered voters taking the opportunity to vote early as they will be on duty on election day.

Local absentee voting is for the country's uniformed personnel and members of the media, as well as persons deprived of liberty.

Media personnel started voting at the Comelec Regional Election Director’s Office in Metro Manila in Intramuros, while other local absentee voters began casting their ballot at their respective offices.

• Comelec gears up for 3-day local absentee voting

“Masaya ako nakapag-avail ako ng Local Absentee Voting. Mabilis yung proseso. Tapos first time ko din kasi mag-avail ng LAV. Yung mga binoto natin, ano lang siyempre, national posts," Dwight de Leon, reporter for online media outfit Rappler, told media after voting.

(I'm happy to avail of the local absentee voting. The process was quick. It's my first time to avail of the LAV. We just voted for national position candidates.)

"Masaya kasi pagdating sa election day, focus na tayo sa trabaho natin dahil 'di na natin iisipin na kailangan pa nating bumoto."

(I'm happy because on election day, we can just focus on our work. We no longer have to think about voting.)

“It’s my second time mag-local absentee voting. I didn’t expect the turn out to be as huge as before. I remember, before, it was quick for me. Sandali lang talaga. But now, I feel heartened na marami tayo sa kasamahan sa hanapbuhay na nag-participate dito. It’s something we should all exercise,” Paolo Romero of the Philippine Star told ABS-CBN News.

(It's my second time time to do local absentee voting... It was really quick. But now, I feel heartened that many of our fellow journalists are participating.)

“Ire-remind ka ulit ng procedure. Better kung may dala kang kodigo. Overall, it’s okay,” he said.

(You are reminded again of the procedure. It's better if you prepare your list already.)

Romero thinks there should be more voting days for LAV, which this time will be held for three days, or until Friday, April 29, only.

”It’s better and convenient. Siguro, gawing 4 days, I suppose. That will be more convenient especially sa ating kokonti lang tayo, ang lalaki ng kino-cover natin. Mas maganda siguro kung at least 4 days instead of 3 days,” Romero said.

(I suppose, make it four days. That will be more convenient especially for us who are covering many things. I think it's better to make this available for at least four days, instead of three days.)

Asked to asses the first day of local absentee voting, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said it was "generally peaceful."

"Initially, 'yung assessment natin, napakaganda. Siyempre, generally peaceful. Wala namang untoward incident na na-report sa atin," Garcia said.

(The first day of LAV was generally peaceful. No untoward incident was reported.)

There are 84,357 registered voters under LAV for this year's elections.

They are from the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police, Department of Education, Commission on Elections, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Military Academy, Culion Hospital, National Power Corporation, Public Attorney’s Office and the media.

Local absentee voters get to vote only for president, vice president, senators and party-list groups.

Registered local absentee voters have to cast their ballot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 27-29.

They won’t be able to vote on May 9, as they have been marked as local absentee voters in their respective polling precincts.

"Hindi na siyempre, dahil sa kanilang registration as a voter ay registration bilang local absentee voters. So parang nabalewala na nila 'yung opportunity na yun," Garcia said.

(They cannot vote anymore on May 9 if they miss the local absentee voting period.)

LAV is done manually, which means voters write their preferences on a manual ballot instead of using the automated election system.

There is an isolation polling place for those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms at the time of voting.

Voters are temperature-screened upon entry.

The LAV follows the commencement of the overseas voting last April 10 for Filipinos abroad. Almost 1.7 million are registered as overseas voters, who have until May 9 to cast their ballot.

• Almost 1.7 million Filipinos abroad to start voting on Sunday

In total, nearly 67.5 million voters are registered for the May 9 polls.

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