THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to pilot test the implementation of the early voting hours for senior citizens in Naga and Muntinlupa cities during the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In a media forum yesterday in Manila, Elections chairman George Garcia said the early voting hours for the elderly will be implemented nationwide in the next electoral exercise if it is held successfully in the two cities.
“We will have the pilot test in Naga City and Muntinlupa City. We will allow the elderly there, without pre-registration, to vote between 5 to 7 a.m.,” said Garcia.
“Once the pilot test is successful, we will implement the early voting hours nationwide come 2025,” he said.
In a phone interview, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body decided to do the pilot testing to ensure its feasibility.
“The teachers may complain if we immediately have full implementation without any time and motion studies on this. At least, after the pilot test, we shall have empirical data that it is successful. We can, then, easily convince teachers to open polling precincts as early as 5 a.m.,” he explained.
Garcia said the teachers who will serve as Electoral Board (EB) members in Naga City and Muntinlupa City will be entitled to an extra allowance of P2,000 across-the-board.
“We need to provide additional honoraria because they will be required to report earlier in their polling precincts,” added Garcia.
Last June, the Comelec en banc approved the implementation of the proposed early voting hours during the October 2023 BSKE as a contingency measure for the Comelec in case the proposed Early Voting bill is not yet passed by Congress in time for the village and youth polls.
