(File photo)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expressed support for a measure filed before the House of Representatives seeking to allow early voting for the vulnerable sector and selected professions.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the bill would also allow healthcare workers and lawyers who are counsels for candidates during elections to be able to vote ahead before the scheduled polls.
“Comelec will wholeheartedly support the Early Voting Bill for our Vulnerable Sectors, especially for Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens and Pregnant Women. This is a great help to them so that they can no longer keep up with the majority of our countrymen in voting,” he said in a message to reporters Monday evening.
“As mentioned by Chairman George Erwin Garcia, the Comelec is now carefully studying the Early Voting Hours for Senior Citizens and other parts of the vulnerable sectors, in case the bill is not passed by October 30, 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE),” he added.
The poll body official noted it would also be an advantage for healthcare workers and lawyers of bets running in the polls to be given a chance to vote early, as they are both doing their duties during polls.
“If our legislators will include the healthcare workers who cannot simply leave their jobs because of duty, this will also help this sector so that more people can vote,” he said.
“And for the lawyers, most of whom also stand as counsels of the candidates in different parts of the country, this will also help so that those who have duties on the day of the election can still vote on another day,” Laudiangco added.
On the other hand, he said that if such a measure will be passed, the Commission will be needing more funds for expenses such as additional honoraria for teachers or those who will serve as Electoral Boards (EB).
“The additional hiring and training of more teachers, other government staff and citizens to serve as Electoral Boards. The Election is between the students' study period and the election duties of the teachers will be affected if they serve longer in the election,” the Comelec spokesperson said.
“Additional adequate honoraria due to more days and a longer period of service in early voting. This should be allocated sufficient funds to better organize the implementation if such a bill becomes a full law,” he added.
On Monday, the House of Representatives approved the measure on third and final reading providing for early voting by qualified senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), lawyers and human resources for health in national and local elections.
House Bill 7576 got an overwhelming 259 affirmative votes during the plenary session -- a consolidation of 15 separate measures filed in the current 19th Congress. (PNA)
