VOTERS will be required to wear face shields before they can cast their votes in the May 9 national elections as part of the Commission on Elections’ health and safety protocols.
“On Election Day, it is very important to remember that you cannot vote if you don’t wear face mask and face shield,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in an online media forum.
He said that while face shields are no longer required in areas under Alert Levels 1 to 3, the poll body is not relaxing its face shield requirement.
“We haven’t removed the face shield requirements. We are still consulting with the Department of Health. But it is still there in our instructions,” Jimenez said.
He also said voters will no longer be allowed to loiter inside the voting centers.
“We will provide the information to the voters where they should be going. They can no longer loiter around,” said Jimenez.
“If before, voters can directly look for their designated classrooms, now we have this Voters’ Assistance Desks,” he said, adding they will implement strict health screening protocols in voting centers.
He said voters with symptoms of COVID-19 will be directed to isolation polling places (IPPs).
He said the poll body will forge a partnership with the DOH to help in the health screening during the elections.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the PNP and local government units to strictly implement guidelines issued by the Comelec in the conduct of campaign, rallies, and similar activities.
Año said the PNP and the LGUs must ensure the guidelines, contained in Comelec Resolution 10732 issued last November, are enforced to ensure everyone’s safety during in-person campaign, rallies, caucuses, meetings, conventions, motorcades, caravans and miting de avance.
The election period is from January 9 to June 8. The campaign period for national candidates will start on February 8 while the local candidates may start campaigning on March 25.
In a radio interview, DILG Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya admitted it may be difficult to enforce the Comelec guidelines.
“But we will do our best insofar as the DILG is concerned, that is why an advisory has been issued by Secretary Eduardo Año to all LGUs and the PNP informing them of the unique campaign activities that are not allowed in the coming elections,” Malaya said.
Under the Comelec guidelines, in-person campaigning is not allowed in areas under Alert Levels 4 and 5 but is allowed in areas under Alert levels 1,2, and 3.
Entering any private dwelling during in-house campaigning, even with the consent of the homeowner, is not allowed.
Caucuses, meetings, convention, rallies, and miting de avance are allowed in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 but the venues, both indoor and outdoor, should be at 70 percent and 50 percent operational capacity, respectively.
Motorcades are allowed in all alert levels but stopovers, layovers, and other similar stoppages for the conduct of other election campaign activities are prohibited.
The Education Department has teamed up with the Comelec and Department of Science and Technology to ensure smooth preparations for the coming polls.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said the agency will lead the process of selecting teachers who will serve as members of the electoral board while the DOST will be in charge of the upskilling activities and certification under the Automated Election Law. — With Victor reyes and Noel Talacay
