WITH the proposed law for early voting yet to be passed, Elections chairman George Garcia yesterday said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will adopt the “early voting hours” policy nationwide for the May 2025 national, local, and Bangsamoro parliamentary polls.
In a radio interview, Garcia said they have decided to fully implement the policy following the successful pilot testing during the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
“Come the 2025 elections, we will already allow the elderly, persons with disability, pregnant women nationwide to vote exclusively between 5 a.m. until 7 a.m.,” said Garcia.
“We have been waiting for the early voting law. But it has not been passed yet. So, this will be the way of the Comelec, the early voting hours,” he said.
The poll chief said the early voting hours is expected to greatly benefit the vulnerable sector as they don’t have to cast their votes with the general population, saying: “When we pilot tested this during the BSKE, as early as 3 a.m., there are already senior citizens lining up to vote.”
Garcia, however, stressed that casting their votes between 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. is not mandatory for the vulnerable sector.
“These will only be optional for the elderly (and others). If they still want to vote by 7 a.m. onwards, that’s fine,” he said.
During the 2023 BSKE, persons with disability, senior citizens, and heavily pregnant women in Naga City and Muntinlupa City were allowed to vote between 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. as part of the pilot testing of the Comelec.
Meanwhile, Garcia said the poll body is looking to come out with the names of party-list organizations that will be allowed to participate in the 2025 elections by next week.
“The picture is getting clearer by the day as we have been able to resolve the Motions for Reconsideration filed before us. Once we are able to resolve everything by Monday, we can release the list by Friday next week at the most,” he said.
Based on the Calendar of Activities for the May 2025 polls, the period for the filing of the List of Nominees, as well as the Certificate of Nomination and Certificate of Acceptance of Nomination (CON-CAN) is set from October 1 to 8.
Garcia said the petitions for accreditation are being resolved based on merits, debunking persistent allegations that those giving bribes or using “connections” are the only ones who get the Comelec’s nod.
“Under our leadership, we use a strict method of screening and decision-making. We have made it a point to do the screening stringently,” said the poll chief, adding: “To those thinking that there is corruption involved, we hope we can prove you wrong. We will prove that to you in the list that we will be coming out with.”
Some 177 party-list organizations participated in the May 2022 elections.
