Comelec’s Garcia says he will push for early voting for seniors, PWDs, pregnant women

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Thursday said he will push for allowing senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant women to vote earlier than the general public in the next elections.

Garcia issued the remark during a public briefing when asked about reforms to make voting accessible to Filipinos.

“Sa aking palagay, ito na ang tamang panahon na payagan na natin mas makaboto ng mas maaga ‘yung mga nakakatanda sa atin at saka ‘yung may mga kapansanan, kahit nga po ‘yung mga buntis. Upang hindi po sila makasama sa pagboto ng karamihan” he said.

[Personally, I think this is the right time to allow seniors and PWDs, as well as pregnant women, to vote earlier so they will not be included in the general voting.]

Garcia said this will prevent seniors from getting tired or waiting in long lines and PWDs from facing difficulty in voting.

In the 2022 national and local elections, senior citizens, PWDs, and pregnant women braved the humid weather, long lines, and crowded precincts to cast their  votes.

“Kung napapaboto nga natin ‘yung tinatawag na local absentee voting…bakit naman hindi natin kayang pabotohin ‘yung mga nakakatanda para hindi na sila aakyat ng hagdan, o kahit na hindi na sila pipila ng pagkahabahaba mapapagod. O ‘yung mga may kapansanan, naka wheelchair, ay nahihirapan,” he said. 

[If we can allow the so-called local absentee voting… why can’t we not allow seniors to vote so they will no longer climb stairs or wait in long lines. Or PWDs, who are in wheelchairs, that are having difficulty.]

Meanwhile, he stressed the need to push for and study the so-called internet voting for Filipinos abroad. Garcia said only around 39% of Filipinos abroad voted in the last elections.

“Eh, mas maganda po siguro magbigay tayo ng ibang alternatibo… Kung papayagan natin ang internet voting para sa kanila, lalo’t naka set up ‘yung mismong mekanismo para protektahan ang kanilang mga boto, eh mas palagay ko, mas tataas ‘yung bilang ng mga bototante lalo na overseas na makakaboto,” he said.

[Maybe we can give an alternative… If we allow internet voting for them, especially since it is already set up to protect their votes, then I think the number of voters overseas will increase.]

When asked how Comelec can assure that internet voting will not be tampered with, he said the poll body must be empowered.

“Siyempre, kinakailangan na kami ay i-empower, bigyan ng kapangyarihan ng ating Kongreso. Ang detalye po, kami ang maglalapat pero siyempre po kinakailangan muna namin alamin… ano ang parameters… ano ang boundaries, ano ‘yung mga security measures,” he said.

[Of course, they need to empower Comelec. We will establish the details but we need to know the parameters, the boundaries, the security measures.]

Garcia said the Comelec can only follow Congress and the Executive branch.

“More or less pu-push natin ‘yan. Subalit ang may final say po sa lahat ng mga detalye na ganyan ay ang ating Kongreso,” he said.

[We will push for it, more or less. But Congress has a final say on that.] — RSJ, GMA News