Seniors demand own VCM in QC school with large voting population

Senior citizens voting at the President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School demanded that a vote counting machines (VCM) be brought to the priority rooms where they voted to allow them to personally cast their ballot in the machines.

However Hannah Tiqui, one of the school's support staff, said: "Magsa-sign po sila ng waiver na pwede po namin kunin 'yung balota nila from the precint. So aakyat po kami sa designated room ng precint, kukunin 'yung balota tapos ibibigay sa kanila [senior citizens]."

Afterwards, she said that they will have to get the seniors' ballots along with their waiver and give it back to the precinct chairman.

The senior citizens are given the option to go upstairs and insert their own ballots in the VCM.

Some, said Tiqui, choose to still go up the stairs just to make sure their votes are properly counted, while others just forego it and leave.

Meanwhile, some senior voters also complained about the 2 p.m. cutoff for the use of the priority rooms at the ground floor of the school.

Maria Estrella Caranto, 63, said: “Nanood naman ako ng news pero wala akong narinig na ganyan.”

Because of the cut off, she was no longer able to use the priority rooms, but instead had to go directly to her designated room which was at the fourth floor.

Caranto, accompanied by her friend, another senior voter, 66-year old friend Noymi Patuampo, had to use the stairs to get to the voting room.

Patuampo said, “Sumasakit na nga dibdib ko eh.”

However, the school’s support staff said the 2 p.m. cutoff was earlier announced. —LDF, GMA News