House OKs bill creating polling places for PWDs, seniors

MANILA — The House suffrage and electoral reforms panel approved a bill yesterday designating accessible polling precincts exclusively for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens.

Under the still unnumbered substitute bill, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will have the authority to establish polling places that would cater to the special needs of the vulnerable members of society when they exercise their right to vote.

The House panel approved House bills (HB) 126, 1221 and 5472 “subject to consolidation.”

HB 1221 stated that the accessible polling place for PWDs and senior citizens shall be designated within the premises of the municipal or city hall.

“[It] shall be located at the ground floor, preferably near the entrance of the building, and is free of any physical barriers and provided with necessary services, including devices,” the bill read.

Atty. Tonette Rivera, who represents the Office of Comelec Chairman, said that the poll body supports the approval of the measures as they “are in line with the priority considerations of the Commission.”

“We are working on additional comments and suggestive revisions to the bill, particularly relating to the transmission of the list of deceased persons from the PSA [Philippine Statistics Authority]. We are just coordinating with the proper departments on how to improve it to make it more efficient operationally,” Rivera said.

For the part of the Department of Budget and Management, Atty. John Paul Martin said that they have no objections to the bills, but they will defer to the Comelec the determination of the feasibility of the implementation or operationalization of the exclusive polling precincts.

“Gusto po naming bigyan ng emphasis na funds necessary for the implementation will be sourced from the available budget of the Comelec,” he said.