Push Admin

Extend voting hours? PPCRV says 'logistically impossible'

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="People wait in long lines to cast their ballot for the national elections at the school grounds of Cainta Elementary School in Cainta, Rizal, May 9, 2022. Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/05/09/20220509-election-vote-cainta-jvc-6.jpg"/><figcaption>People wait in long lines to cast their ballot for the national elections at the school grounds of Cainta Elementary School in Cainta, Rizal, May 9, 2022. <em>Jire Carreon, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — Extending the voting hours in the May 9 elections is logistically impossible, the accredited citizens&#x27; arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.</p><p>&quot;Well, I think at this stage that&#x27;s a bit late to call for something like that. Logistically it might be quite impossible to adjust,&quot; Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) national chairperson Myla Villanueva said in a press briefing.</p><p>She was reacting to a proposal from election watchdog Kontra Daya to extend the voting hours beyond 7 p.m. amid issues with vote counting machines.</p><p>Villanueva said that education personnel who are serving as board of election inspectors have been working as early as 4 a.m.</p><p>&quot;So, while we all wish that we can have a 24-hour voting time, it&#x27;s just not possible,&quot; she said.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Extend voting hours? <a href="https://twitter.com/PPCRV_live?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PPCRV_live</a> says ‘logistically impossible’ <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/OAgZPamD8s">pic.twitter.com/OAgZPamD8s</a></p>— Davinci Maru (@davinci_maru) <a href="https://twitter.com/davinci_maru/status/1523577213932609537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Kontra Daya on Monday morning urged the Comelec to extend the voting process, which is expected to be longer due to COVID-19 protocols.</p><p>&quot;The breakdown of VCMs and the long lines, among other issues, have affected the turnaround time in voting. Extending voting hours can help prevent disenfranchisement,&quot; t<a href="https://twitter.com/kontradaya/status/1523501621761691649">he group wrote on Twitter</a>.</p><p>Villanueva however, said that voters within 30 meters from polling precincts by 7 p.m. would still be allowed to cast their ballots.</p><p>&quot;If you are in your polling center or precinct, that will not close as long as you are in the line,&quot; Villanueva added.</p><p>The PPCRV has also received dozens of calls over faulty VCMs, which has led to long lines in some polling places in the country. </p><p>Bookmark the <a href="https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com">ABS-CBN News Halalan results page</a> to see the partial unofficial tally of election returns. </p><p>For other updates, visit ABS-CBN News&#x27; live blog <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/09/22/halalan-2022-abs-cbn-news-updates-on-philippine-elections">here</a>. <br/> </p>

Extending the voting hours for the May 9 elections is logistically impossible, the citizens' arm of the country's poll body said Monday, 