'Number system' of little help in polling place in Marikina

The "numbering system" that was expected to ensure smooth flow of voters did not work at a polling place in Marikina City.

Election officials at a school here conceived of the "number system" to control the influx of voters on Election Day. Similar to a regular visit at a bank or a dentist, voters are given a number and they will only start with the voting process when their number is called. But the system the teachers at the Kapitan Moy Elementary School (KMES) in Marikina Heights village employed proved to be of little help in easing congestion at the precincts. "Ang titigas ng ulo ng mga botante. Kahit ang nakuha nilang number ay 500 pa, nakikisiksik pa rin sila doon sa harap ng presinto," said Ma. Fe Gardoce, principal of the Kapitan Moy, which houses 18 clustered precincts. "Ang advice kasi namin, pag matagal pa sila tatawagin, kahit bumalik na lang sila mamaya. Mamalengke muna sila or kumain muna. Pero kasi, ayaw nila umalis sa pila (We advised those who were assigned large numbers down the queue to leave first to reduce the crowd, but they refused to leave their line)," she added. Only 10 voters were allowed to vote simultaneously inside a classroom at one time. With that pacing, Gardoce expressed doubts that all 16,000 registered voters in the village will be able to vote. "It might be impossible to finish all 16,000 today," Gardoce admitted, adding that as of 10 a.m., each of the 18 clustered precincts has so far accommodated around 30 voters on the average. The huge volume of people trying to squeeze inside the hallways of the school's two buildings had already caused some voters to get irate. Pre-school teacher Faith Sicam noted that the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) and other Commission on Elections personnel at the school were not enough to control the crowd. "Nakaka-trauma talaga 'to lalo na sa mga first-time voters... Ang bagal-bagal at ang sikip-sikip," said the 24-year-old woman while waiting in line, behind her was her first-time voter sister, who also expressed the same dismay. From one end of the hallway to another, one could hear individuals ultimately giving up on lining up to vote. "Wala na. Uuwi na lang ako. Sayang pa ang paligo ko," a man, all wet with perspiration, said as he breezed out of the school premises. But of course, there were some exceptions. Sister Greogoria Getubig, a nun from the nearby St. Scholastica's Academy, was luckily spared from the troubles that hounded other voters. Along with six other fellow nuns, Getubig went to the KMES to vote. "Very orderly naman," she said, adding that she had no problem trying out the new automated voting system. However, she admitted that the precincts could have used a little more man power. "Kulang ang tao. No one was directing me what to do next after I filled out my ballot," she said. Gardoce said she expects voting to extend beyond 6 p.m. since Comelec rules allow people who are within a 30-meter radius from the precinct before the deadline to still vote. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV