WITH or without a new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Omicron subvariant threat, the May 9 national and local polls will push through, officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.
“We are very certain that suspension is not an option. We will conduct the elections as mandated by the Constitution,” said Elections Commissioner Marlon Casquejo in a press conference.
“I don’t think we can postpone the elections. We have already prepared for any eventualities. Whatever happens, we will have an election,” added Commissioner Aimee Ferolino.
Commissioner Rey Bulay echoed: “We cannot break away from the mandate of the Constitution, that the elections should be held on the 9th of May 2022.”
The assurance from poll officials came on the heels of the detection of the Department of Health of the first case of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12 in the country.
The DOH earlier said the postponement of the elections is possible in the eventuality that COVID-19 cases see a resurgence.
The Comelec officials reiterated it has done everything possible to prevent the May 9 polls from becoming a “super spreader” event.
“We made some preparations We have contingency measures in place,” said Casquejo.
“If there will be any problems, we have prepared for that,” said Ferolino.
“Everything is put in place. We are doing everything as far as I am concerned,” said Bulay.
On late Wednesday, Comelec Commissioner Aimee Neri led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the New Normal between the poll body, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense, and Department of Education.
Elections Commissioner George Garcia said isolated voting stations will be set up in polling centers to accommodate those who have COVID-19 symptoms on election day.
Garcia said those under quarantine will also be given the chance to exercise their right to suffrage.
“Kahit po may COVID-19, wala naman po sa aming patakaran na hindi sila pabobotohin (Even those with COVID-19, there is no policy banning them from voting),” he said but admitted that it is not yet clear where the patients who are in quarantine will cast their votes.
He said they are still waiting for the guidelines if the ballots will be sent to isolation facilities to accommodate those undergoing quarantine and how the isolation polling facility will be set up.
Garcia appealed to individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on election day to wear a face mask, and even a face shield if possible, and to alert authorized personnel who will be on hand to assist them and bring them to an isolation polling area to cast their vote.
Likewise, Ferolino said the Comelec en banc has agreed to allow companions of persons with disability (PWDs) to go inside polling precincts and assist voters.
“The companions of persons with physical disability and circuit mobility issues and motor restrictions, such as tremors, will now be allowed inside polling precincts,” said Ferolino.
She said the amendment is different from their previous rule on companions.
“Before, only the PWDs were really allowed to go inside,” said Ferolino.
She explained that the change is due to the difficulties faced by PWDs in casting their votes alone. “This would restrict their effective filling out of forms and ballots,” she also said.
There are a total of 511,612 PWDs that are registered to vote in the May 9 polls.
In a related development, the Comelec reported that the dispatch and deployment of official ballots, vote counting machines, and other election paraphernalia are nearly complete.
Records show that 100 percent of the ballot boxes and transmission devices have been dispatched to local hubs.
Nearly completely deployed are the vote counting machines (96.44%), external batteries (99.54%), and consolidated canvassing system laptop (99.01%).
As for the official ballots, 48 percent have already been dispatched in the field.
On the other hand, Casquejo said they are set to destroy over 500,000 defective ballots that were printed by the National Printing Office (NPO) on May 7.
“We have about 300,000 plus defective official ballots. But we will also destruct the roadshow ballots so we reached 500,000 ballots to be destroyed,” he said.
Casquejo said the defective ballots will be divided into three parts and will be disposed off after the May 9 polls. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
