Comelec to pilot test mall voting in 5 NCR sites during 2023 Barangay, SK polls — Garcia

The Commission on Elections will conduct a pilot test of mall voting in five establishments in Metro Manila during the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Monday.

In an interview with reporters, Garcia said they will conduct the pilot test in SM Manila, Robinsons Manila, Robinsons Magnolia and two other malls in the National Capital Region.

"Plano po ng inyong Commission on Elections na magkaroon ng pilot test sa limang malls sa Metro Manila," he said.

[We plan to pilot test elections in five malls in Metro Manila.]

"Kaya po natin susubukan 'yan dahil maganda rin nating maitanong, bakit ba laging sa eskwelahan tayo nagpapaboto samantalang binibigay po nang libre ng mga malls at malalaking espasyo ang binibigay sa atin para makapagparehistro ang ating mga kababayan. So kung kaya nating magparehistro sa mga mall, bakit hindi natin kayang magpaboto sa mga malls?" he said.

[The reason why we're pilot testing is that, why is it we always conduct elections in schools when in fact, the malls are offering their spaces for free for us to register? So if we can conduct registration inside malls, why not conduct elections there, too?]

Among the advantages of mall voting that Garcia cited are security, prevention of sample ballots distribution, and the preservation of school equipment such as chairs.

Although this is a "very convenient" option, Garcia said the Comelec should do its part in disseminating information to those who will be assigned to the precincts inside the malls.

"So napaka-convenient po sa'ting mga kababayan subalit...may obligasyon ang Comelec na kung matutuloy po ang mall voting, dapat po massive information drive, information dissemination," he said.

[It will provide convenience to the public but the Comelec would have to conduct a massive information drive, information dissemination.]

"Dapat po lahat ng mga kababayan nating rehistradong botante doon sa mga presintong maapektuhan, dapat alam nilang lahat na ang pagboto nila ay hindi na sa eskwelahan kung saan sila dating bumoboto. Obligasyon namim na ipaalam sa kanila na dito na kayo boboto sa mga mall na ito," he added.

[Those registered voters who will be affected by the adjustments for the mall voting should be informed that their voting center has been transferred to another site. It is our obligation to inform them that they will be voting inside the malls.]

Garcia also said that the Comelec will not prohibit watchers from entering the malls where the pilot test will be conducted.

"'Wag po mag-alala 'yung mga kandidato, hindi namin ipagbabawal 'yung mga watcher, 'yung mga gustong makapanuod ng pagbilang ng mga boto sa gabi kasi anybody naman can go inside a mall basta wala kayong dala-dalang makakapag-threaten sa ginagawang proseso ng pagbilang at pagboto ng mga kababayan natin," he said.

[The candidates should not worry because we will not prohibit the watchers to oversee the voting process inside the malls as long as they will not bring anything that might threaten the electoral exercise.]

Garcia explained that they are mulling the conduct of mall voting at SM Manila and Robinsons Manila because they also want to give a specific polling precinct for seafarers.

"Maliban sa boboto sa mall na 'yon... gagawin po nating mag-lagay ng polling place o polling precinct para sa ating mga marino," he said.

[Aside from the regular voting inside the malls, we will also put up a polling precinct for our seafarers.]

According to the Comelec chairman, there are a lot of Filipino seafarers who cannot participate in the local polls because their registration was already transferred to another country even though they have not left the Philippines yet.

"Made-deprive po sila ng kanilang karapatan. Madi-disenfranchise po natin. Dapat kahit nailipat na ang kanilang registration kung hindi pa agad sila makakaalis, dapat makaboto sila at ang paraan para makaboto ay kung nasaan sila kalimitan nagtitigil at dyan po, sigurado kami, sa may SM Manila marami po d'yang mga kababayan tayong seafarers at the same time sa Robinsons Faura," he added.

[We will deprive them of their right and we will disenfranchise their votes if we will not do anything about it. So we should ensure that even if they transferred their registration to another country, they can still vote in the Philippines while waiting for their deployment. The only way we can do that is to put up a polling precinct near the establishments where they process their documents such as SM Manila and Robinsons Faura.]

The BSKE was supposed to be held in December 2022 but was moved to October 2023. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News