Villar, Marcos want more voting precincts for Eleksyon 2022 due to risks posed by COVID-19 pandemic

Senators Cynthia Villar and Imee Marcos on Thursday asked the Commission on Elections to increase the number of voting precincts for the 2022 national and local elections to ensure that health protocols are observed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Senate electoral reforms committee hearing, Villar pointed out that the elections may not be done in only a day as voters need to follow social distancing while voting.

“I don’t think na makakaya na iboto ng one day ‘yung lahat na 'yun pagka ganyang may safety protocol, mahirap ‘yan. I think magkakagulo sa presinto. Unless, damihan natin 'yung mga precinct places. Otherwise magkakagulo 'yan, magkahawahan ‘yan,” Villar pointed out.

(I don't think that voting can be done in a day especially if there is a safety protocol that should be followed. That is very difficult. I think there will be crowding unless we increase the number of precinct places. Otherwise, there will be more risk of transmission.)

“Hindi talaga magagawa na with this kind of protocols na matapos 'yung election ng the same day, dapat yata damihan ninyo 'yung presinto. Kasi tingin ko if we follow the protocol magkakagulo kasi mas matagal because of the health protocol, hindi makakaboto mga tao,” she went on.

(With this kind of protocols, it is not possible to finish the voting within the same day. We should increase the number of precincts.)

Marcos, chair of the committee, agreed with Villar, adding that the ideal number of voters per precinct is 500 but this is not viable due to insufficient number of vote counting machines (VCMs).

She further noted that even Comelec does not want the elections to last overnight.

Marcos then asked Comelec Deputy Executive Director Teopisto Elnas Jr. if the poll body is open to work on adding more voting precincts.

Elnas, in response, expressed hope that they can implement the lawmakers’ suggestion, but he also pointed out that the Comelec only has 97,000 VCMs.

Villar told the Comelec official to procure more VCMs, emphasizing that the body has enough time to add more machines.

“May time pa namang bumili kaysa ma-postpone ang election at magkagulo ang election, bumili na lang. 'Di ba?” she said.

(We still have time to procure VCMs. Instead of risking a no-election situation and crowding in the precincts, we should buy more machines instead, right?)

Elnas told the panel that he will suggest this to Comelec’s steering committee.

“With that, we will bring that matter to the steering committee kasi kailangan ng policy n’yan and of course, ‘yung process ng pagbili for additional VCMs and of course 'yung process ng bidding and the availability of funds,” he said.

In May, Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. said the 2022 elections is likely to be extended by two to three hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Comelec is firm that the 2022 polls should proceed as scheduled despite the risks posed by the pandemic.—AOL, GMA News