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Pandemic may undermine elections: Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri calls on the government to fast-track its inoculation program so it can vaccinate 70 percent of the population and reach herd immunity by year end. As COVID-19 continues to evolve, Zubiri expressed fear that it would “pose a bigger threat not only to the lives of our people and our economy but also to our electoral system” if government would fail to meet its target. He released a Pulse Asia survey which showed that 46 percent of the respondents said they would not go out to vote if the cases of COVID-19 would still be high by next year. Zubiri underscored the importance of a large turn-out of voters for a credible election that is represented by majority of the people. “It is important that our electoral system and democratic elections will not be compromised and undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Zubiri said in a privilege speech Wednesday, July 28, 2021. He recommended that the Commission on Elections address its administrative problems and ensure proper health protocols are in place at the election sites and, by approval of law, extend the election by one day to avoid overcrowding at polling precincts. “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. Vaccination is the only key to the recovery of our economy and health of our countrymen. We should not stop until every single Filipino is inoculated,” Zubiri stressed. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)