IMEE: PARA IWAS-ABERYA SA BOTOHAN, NUMERO NG PRESINTO NG MGA BOTANTE, IBIGAY NA!

NANGANGAMBA si Senadora Imee R. Marcos na maraming botante ang maaaring ma-disenfranchise sa nalalapit na 2022 elections dahil sa ipatutupad na COVID-19 protocols sa mga presinto.

Ayon kay Marcos, chairperson ng Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation, nakukulangan pa rin sya sa ginawa ng COMELEC na 'simulation mock elections' sa mga piling lugar sa bansa dahil sa naglitawang mga problema, lalo na sa pagboto, paghahanap ng pangalan at voting precinct ng botante, transmission ng boto dulot ng mahinang internet signal, at ang mahabang oras ng pagpila sa presinto.

Lumitaw rin na nagsisiksikan o overcrowding ang mga botante sa mga presinto.

Dahil dito, iginiit ni Marcos sa COMELEC na ipaalam na agad sa mga botante ang kanilang mga voting precinct at maglabas na ng mga patakaran sa kampanyahan kaugnay ng nalalapit na election campaign season para matiyak ang kaligtasan at iwas hawaan ng virus.

"I urge COMELEC to issue guidelines asap on how to maintain safety for all during caravans, sorties, house to house, townhall meetings, etc.," diin ni Marcos

Sa presentation ng COMELEC, aabot sa 10 minuto at 47 segundo ang "time and motion" o itatagal ng isang botante sa kanyang pagboto sa Mayo 9, 2022.

Kinuwestyon din ni Marcos ang COMELEC sa magiging papel ng Department of Health(DOH) sa implementasyon ng health protocols sa bawat presinto.

"Ano nga ba talaga ang participation ng DOH, parang bitin ang imposition ng COVID-19 protocols? Dahil sa umpisa pa lang, nagka-ka-overcrowding, nagtitipon-tipon, nag-aantayan ang mga tao para umalis. So, what exactly was the participation of DOH kasi yung inaasahan natin Deped, marshall, yung Barangay personnel. Kulang yata ang COVID protocols," ayon pa kay Marcos.

Bukod dito, nababahala rin si Marcos sa lumabas na isyu sa Smartmatic at sa source code na umanoy maaaring makaapekto sa resulta ng halalan sa Mayo.

"Nakakanerbyos yata yun! Dapat maplantsa na agad ito ng COMELEC at ng mga stakeholder para maiwasan ang pagkakagulo at dayaan sa halalan," babala pa ni Marcos

Ikinalungkot rin ni Marcos ang pagkabigo ng Senado na maipasa ang Expanded Early Voting Bill na kanyang inakda na umanoy magbibigay pagkakataon sa mga buntis, senior citizens at pwds na makaboto nang mas maaga para iwas din sa mahabang pila.

Bilang solusyon, iminungkahi ni Marcos sa COMELEC na ipaalam na sa mga botante ang numero ng kanilang prisinto sa botohan sa pamamagitan ng social media platforms imbes na sa kartero lamang.

Inirekumenda ni Marcos sa COMELEC na magsagawa muli ng isa pang 'mock elections' para makita kung naplantsa na ang mga naglitawang problemang teknikal sa naunang simulation exercises.

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IMEE: RELEASE POLL PRECINCT NUMBERS EARLY FOR LESS DELAYS, FEWER DISENFRANCHISED VOTERS

Senator Imee Marcos has expressed worry that mock polls held last year did not thoroughly run through pandemic protocols and may lead to voters losing their way at election centers and being disenfranchised in the May 9 elections.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people's participation, said that overcrowding took place during last year's mock polls due to technical and logistical glitches.

Participants spent much time looking for their names and assigned precincts, vote-counting machines jammed or rejected ballots, and a weak internet signal delayed the voting process.

Marcos questioned the Comelec on the role of the Department of Health (DOH) in implementing health protocols in polling precincts nationwide, after the Comelec reported that it took 10 minutes and 47 seconds for each voter to cast a vote during the mock polls.

"What exactly is the role of DOH? With the overcrowding that took place, did we not fall short in applying Covid-19 protocols?" Marcos asked.

Marcos recommended that another round of mock polls be held with more participation from DOH personnel and for the Comelec to immediately release guidelines on how election campaigns should be conducted.

"I urge the Comelec to issue guidelines ASAP on how to maintain safety during caravans, sorties, house-to-house visits and town hall meetings," Marcos emphasized.

The Comelec should also speed up the release of voter precinct assignments through social media platforms instead of just mailing the information to registered voters, the senator added.

Marcos expressed regret that early voting for vulnerable groups could not take place on May 9 because the Senate did not pass Senate Bill 1104, which she authored.

The bill could have allowed vulnerable groups like senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), and pregnant women to vote ahead of the general public.

The privilege could also have been extended to health workers, poll watchers, military and police personnel, and the media, the senator said.