PWDs, senior citizens support Comelec plan to allow voting in malls

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MANILA — Some People with Disabilities (PWDs) and Senior Citizens are supportive of the plan of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow voting inside shopping malls in the 2016 polls.

Helario Supaz of the PWD Affairs Office of Taguig City, said allowing people including PWDs and Senior Citizens to vote in malls will be very convenient for the voter since such establishments are accessible to the public.

“Actually maganda ito para sa mga PWDs at Senior Citizens. Accessible talaga ito para sa amin, pero hindi ito mangyayari kung wala ang suporta ng local government unit at mga taong nakapaligid sa amin, syempre ang Comelec,” he said at the Comelec registration booth for Taguig City residents inside SM Aura Mall on Friday.

Another registrant, Roger Robilla is thankful for holding registrations in malls and also supports the plan to hold voting incident malls.

“Maganda ito… ngayon namin naisipan magpa-rehistro kasi hindi masyado makalakad. Very good. Mas maganda dito maaliwalas. Maganda kung dito magpaboto din,” he said.

For his part, Comelec Chairman Jose Andres Bautista assured that the poll body’s effort to allow PWDs and Senior Citizens to register in malls will not stop there as they also have other plans for them.

“Without doubt kaya nga tayo nandito. Ito ay bunga nga ng gusto natin pagtulong sa PWDs and Senior Citizens. Sabi ko nga ayoko tumigil sa regular lamang at biometric, kung panahon na para sila bumoto paano natin sila matutulungan,” he said.

Senior citizen, Filipino Lara, 75, who validated his registration said that he would only support a candidate in the forthcoming polls.

“Kaya ako nagparehistro susuportahan ko ang kandidato ko kung sakaling tatakbo siyang Vice President,” he said, adding that he will support Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

In 2013 Barangay polls, PWDs and Senior Citizens in four Districts in Manila were allowed to vote in four SM Malls.

The one-day registration for PWDs and Senior Citizens were held in 15 SM Malls around the country.