Senators cast BSKE votes in their hometown

MANILA - The voting atmosphere inside the Quezon City High School on Monday’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) was neither as tense nor busy as the national elections.

A good number of voters, many of them senior citizens, opted to cast their ballot early.

Inside the school gym were at least three PPCRV volunteers who assist senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women in casting their vote.

But what seemingly slowed down the process was the need for the Electoral Board members to get the records of voter in another building one by one.

Rosa Sumaden, 74 years old, said she has been waiting for almost three hours just to cast her vote.

According to Sumaden, she opted to go to her polling place first before her 10 a.m. dialysis schedule, hoping that the voting process would be fast.

“Ewan ko kung bakit ang taga-tagal naman. Naaasar nga ako papunta ako doon... dialysis ko ngayon,” Sumaden said.

Regardless of her health condition, Sumaden said voting is important.

“Basta importante yun sa akin... tuloy pa rin (pagboto ko kahit ang tagal) para hindi masayang punta ko,” she said.

The Quezon City High School, according to Assistant School Principal Jun Guantero, has 32 precincts with a total of 4,092 regular registered voters and 1,838 Sangguniang Kabataan voters.

A number of other voters complained about the snail-paced voting process in the area.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, who cast his vote in the said school on the other hand, is seeing a better picture.

“Mukhang this year, mukhang very, very well managed, maintained yung election process natin from the start hanggang sa makaboto ako. Talagang merong proseso itong halalan,” Tulfo said.

While many belittle the nature of barangay elections, the public must not disregard the significant role of village officials, Tulfo said.

“Ang barangay officials, sila ang unang pinupuntahan natin kapag mayroong problema sa ating komunidad. Sila ang tinatawag na first line of defense when it comes to public safety,” the senator said.

Village officials are the ones tasked to help the underprivileged, Tulfo said.

“Kung walang barangay, naku baka ang mga korte natin binaha na ng kaso,” he said.

Tulfo’s observations, however, ran contrast to the information being received by Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

Interviewed after voting at Xavier School in San Juan City, Estrada claimed to have received many complaints of vote-buying and flying voters.

“Marami, marami akong na-receive even two days ago up to now. Maraming tumatawag sa akin, talamak ang pamimili ng boto, lalong-lalo na diyan sa San Juan Municipal High School. Tina-target nila yung Barangay Corazon de Jesus, kung sana ay medyo malakas yung kalaban nung bata nung naghahari-harian dito,” Estrada told ABS-CBN News.

One person, according to Estrada, allegedly roamed around the streets of San Juan “in the guise of inspection kuno pero ang daming mga kasamang pulis, at nangangampanya pa rin.”

Estrada refused to name the person.

“Maraming mga tao namin ang nakatanggap ng pera. Halagang P500 dun sa isang barangay. Siguro, he or she will file a complaint,” Estrada said.

OTHER SENATORS ALSO VOTED

Other senators also took part in this year’s electoral exercise which was postponed three times since 2018.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian voted shortly after lunch Monday in Canumay West Elementary School in Valenzuela City.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who cast his ballot in Cipriano P. Sta Teresa Elementary School, said there should be a designated voting area at the ground floor for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women.

Senator Lito Lapid, on the other hand, voted early in Porac Elementary School in Pampanga.

Lapid reminded the winning candidates to work well.

“Sana lalo silang (mananalong kandidato) makatulong, pwede naman kaming lapitan na mga senador... congratulations sa mga mananalo, at yung hindi, better luck next time,” Lapid said.

Senator Francis Tolentino meanwhile voted in Francisco P. Tolentino National High School in Tagaytay City.

Senator Cynthia Villar also voted early at Las Piñas City National Science High School in Talon Dos, Las Piñas City.

The senator voted, along with her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar; House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and businessman-son Paolo Villar.

Senator Imee Marcos on the other hand voted in Cabeza Elementary School in Laoag City.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros voted at Barangay Matandang Balara in Quezon City.