(PNA photo by Jess Escaros Jr)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now accepting applications from those qualified to avail of local absentee voting (LAV) for the May 9 national and local elections.
Among those who may avail of the LAV are government officials and employees, including members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, as well as media members and their technical and support staff.
Applicants must be duly registered voters whose registration records are not deactivated and will be temporarily assigned to perform election duties or to cover and report the holding of the elections in places where they are not registered voters.
The forms may be downloaded at comelec.gov.ph and will be distributed to all government agencies, AFP, PNP, media entities, corporations, or members of the media.
The duly accomplished LAV Form 01 must be submitted not later than March 7, 2022 to the following: the heads of offices/supervisors/commanders/officers next-in-rank in case of government officials and employees and members of the AFP and PNP; and the Office of the Regional Election Director for localities in the National Capital Region, or the Office of the Election Officer in case of highly urbanized or independent cities outside NCR, or the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor for all other areas, in case of media voters.
Media voters must accomplish and submit LAV Form 02, while freelance journalists must present a certification under oath stating that they have valid assignments from bona fide media organizations, attaching proof.
Online publishers must also present certifications under oath stating that they are actively gathering and distributing online election content. They should indicate the website of the publication or blog showing their names or list the applicants of the reporting team.
The local absentee voting period is on April 27, 28 and 29 next year, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those qualified will only cast their votes for the positions of president, vice president, senators and party-list representatives. (PNA)
