Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 25) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is studying proposals to allot at least two days of voting in the next national polls in case the COVID-19 threat persists until May 2022.
The Comelec is looking into several adjustments for the next elections if the pandemic continues to rage on and a vaccine is not yet readily available. Comelec Executive Director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. said the poll body is looking to give more time for the public to cast their votes and prevent crowding in voting precincts to avoid the spread of the virus.
“Date ng election is scheduled by the Constitution. The plan is to hold elections sa May 9 then another day or perhaps another two days kung kailangan to continue the elections, parang in-extend lang ang voting hours, but that is still being studied by our law department,” he said during a House hearing into the agency’s 2021 budget.
[Translation: The date of election is scheduled by the Constitution. The plan is to hold elections on May 9 then another day or perhaps another two days, if necessary, to conduct the elections. It’s similar to extending the voting hours, but that is still being studied by our law department.]
The upcoming Palawan Plebiscite, which will also be held for two days, will be used as a guide for the 2022 elections. It was postponed in May due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The official said they are also planning to reduce those allowed to cast their votes inside a precinct from 12 persons down to 5 at a time. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez added they are also considering alternative voting modes, such as making use of snail mail.
Sinocruz also said that the Comelec may allow candidates to file their certificates of candidacy online instead of trooping to offices.
“Of course we cannot totally discount na merong magpa-file personally pero hindi naman prohibited ng batas ang online filing,” he added.
[Translation: We cannot totally discount that some may opt to file personally, but online filing is allowed by law.]
The Comelec is seeking a higher budget next year to prepare for a safer conduct of the 2022 elections in case of a prolonged pandemic. It initially proposed a ₱30.673-billion budget for 2021, but the Department of Budget and Management slashed it to ₱14.565 billion. Jimenez said a huge chunk of the commission’s proposed budget is intended to increase the number of vote-counting machines (VCMs) to lessen human contact, assuming a “new normal” scenario with no coronavirus vaccine.
Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo also asked the Comelec if it is considering postponing the 2022 polls if the pandemic still persists by then. But Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas was firm that only President Rodrigo Duterte and Congress can decide to alter the constitutional mandate. Former Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal also said there is no justification to reschedule the upcoming elections since there is still time to prepare.
“It’s a basic core of any and all democratic countries. And we should take it very seriously. We should not just throw out ideas, which have a lot of implications not only for now, but for the future,” he told CNN Philippines.
