Push Admin

Comelec eyes mall voting in 2023 barangay, SK polls

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – The Commission on Elections is mulling a proposal to allow voting inside malls in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguning Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in October.Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said mall operators seem receptive to the idea so far.“Patuloy po at napakainit talaga ng pagtanggap po ng mga mall sa atin pong idea na yan, sapagkat sa kasalukuyan po ay binibigyan din po niya tayo ng mga espasyo para sa ating satellite registration atsaka registration anywhere project,” he said in a TeleRadyo interview. “Baka pupuwede, itong darating na barangay and SK elections magpilot muna tayo, mag-sample tayo ng ilang malls, kahit dito sa Metro Manila, upang makuha natin, kaya ba talaga, pwede ba natin talaga dalhin ang ating mga kababayan sa malls, doon sila boboto.”“At the same time, mas mabibigyan tayo ng malawak na espasyo at mas masisigurado ang seguridad ng mga kababayan natin habang bumoboto,” he explained.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Social distancing and other protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19 are implemented inside a mall in Quezon City on May 27, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/05/28/20200527-sm-north-new-normal-jc-9661.jpg"/><figcaption>Social distancing and other protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19 are implemented inside a mall in Quezon City on May 27, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>(Mall owners have warmly received the idea. They are currently giving us spaces for our satellite registration and register anywhere projects. Maybe we can pilot mall voting in the barangay and SK elections, let&#x27;s select some malls here in Metro Manila where our kababayans can vote. At the same time, we have more spaces and more security.)Garcia said only residents of barangays near malls will be allowed to vote there, in compliance with the Omnibus Election Code.“Ang nakalagay lamang po, kinakailangan yung kung saan sila boboto, ay doon sa kung saan yung pinakamalapit sa lahat,” he noted.“So ang gagawin po namin, kung ano yung mga presinto o barangays na nandoon mismo sa vicinity ng mall, yun po yung aming ilalagay na, o ililipat ng botohan sa mall, so meaning to say wala pong mava-violate na batas sapagkat ang tawag po dito ay transfer lang of polling place,” he explained. (The law states polling precincts have to be near the people, so we&#x27;ll just move the nearby barangays and polling precincts. No laws will be broekn because we&#x27;ll just transfer the polling place.)Garcia said mall voting is not expected to cost more on the part of the Comelec.He noted that malls may be willing to provide voting spaces for free in exchange for the foot traffic that elections will bring.“Kahit paano, siguradong-sigurado naman, na yung ating mga kababayan kapagka pumupunta dyan katulad din kapagka pumupunta sa mga paaralan, maaaring mag-softdrinks man lang o uminom, siyempre kahit papaano, ang iba dyan nagwi-window shopping pag katapos bumoto,” he said.(Our kababayans will surely, at the very least, buy a drink before or after voting. Some may even go window shopping after.)The veteran election lawyer said malls are more comfortable places for voting.“Sa ating palagay, ganoon din naman po yung effect eh, madami rin naman po tayo kababayan na pag pumunta sa eskwelahan, pagkatapos na pagkatapos pupunta rin sa mall. Ganoon din po. Eh hindi ba mas magandang yung mga kababayan natin nakapila, kahit nakapila komportable, naka-aircon.”He also said that malls are more secure for polls.“Walang magbibigay ng polyetos doon, walang magdudumi sa mga kalsada. At the same time walang batang ginagamit sa pamimigay ng mga polyetos na bawal naman sa pangangampanya. Walang mang-iimpluwensiya sa kanila habang sila’’y papunta mismo sa mall sisiguraduhin natin yan.”“At the same time napakaimportante, hindi na masisira yung mga upuan, mga ibang gamit doon sa mismong paaralan sapagkat yan naman eh mga pambata tapos gagamitin ng mga matatanda kapagka tayo bumoboto. So at least mape-preserve natin yung mga paaralan para sa pag-aaral ng mga kabataan,” he added.<div>--TeleRadyo, 25 January 2023 </div>

Comelec is mulling a proposal to allow voting inside malls in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguning Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in October.