COVID-19 granular lockdowns unlikely by Eleksyon 2022 –Palace

Malacañang said Tuesday that it is unlikely that areas in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, will still be under granular lockdowns by the time the May 9, 2022 elections are held.

"The Comelec (Commission on Elections) would know what constitutes failure of elections, and we will answer once we are there [in such a situation]. But the Comelec can reset election day for those areas under lockdown," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said when asked if granular lockdowns could restrict people from voting in the 2022 polls.

"Pero kampante po ako, dumarami na po ang nababakunahan, malapit na po tayo sa population protection, kaya tingin ko makakabalik na tayo lahat niyan [pagdating ng eleksyon]," Roque added.

(But I am confident, more people are getting vaccinated, we are nearing population protection, and that is why I see us not being in such a situation.)

Roque said on Tuesday that there are at least 18.8 million Filipinos who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of September 20.

Of the 18.8 million, 14.87 million are in Metro Manila.

Based on Comelec records during the 2019 polls, Metro Manila had the second-highest number of registered voters among all regions with 7 million, just behind Region 4A (Calabarzon) which has 8.67 million registered voters. — DVM, GMA News