COMELEC Intensifies Voters’ Education, Partners With Transport Groups, Media Networks, Mall Chains

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista appealed to the public to put energy and effort in helping enfranchise more voters in the May 2016 National and Local Elections by supporting existing voter education-information activities and platforms.

“We are currently putting up posters that discuss steps in voting and some reminders in preparation for Election Day in all sea and air ports and railway systems in the country. We want voters to come to the Voting Centers informed because we are really intent on making the voting process convenient for everyone, especially for those with limited mobility,” explains Chairman Bautista.

The Commission asked the Philippine Ports Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Light Rail Transit Authority, Light Rail Manila Corporation, Philippine National Railways, and the Manila Metro Rail Transit System to display voter educationinformation posters in all their transport premises.

“You will see in our posters that the first step in voting is to know where you will vote. So we advise voters to check their respective Voting Centers and Precinct Numbers ahead of May 9, 2016 on www.comelec.gov.ph or through the Voter’s List on Election Day. This will help us avoid long queues that can discourage some from voting,” adds Bautista.

Aside from posters, the Commission likewise asked media networks to air infomercials to improve voter awareness on the do’s and don’t’s on Election Day. Mall Voting Project Partners—SM, Robinsons, Ayala, Watermart, Pacific Malls, CB Mall, Gaisano Grand, Sta. Lucia Mall, City Malls, and Fisher Mall—similarly will be running audio-visuals in their respective cinemas.

“We updated our ads to emphasize the need to drop the voter receipt in a designated box. Our voters should know this because they will commit an election offense if they bring voter receipts out of the precinct. Voter receipts are treated as copies of the ballots and therefore are protected by the same legal provisions on ballot secrecy,” reminds the Chair.

Apart from ads, the COMELEC staff brings Vote Counting Machines to communities, schools, and other establishments in voter education sessions but the Chair appealed to organized citizen groups to also do their part in helping reach more voters.

“It’s really information that’s key here. So we are intensifying our efforts in the run up to the Election Day. But COMELEC’s job of counting right is only half of the story. Our voters should remember that collectively, they could really affect election results. Do vote and guard the sanctity of your ballots. That way the electoral process really becomes an accountability mechanism that works for the people. On our part, the public can rest assured that we are doing our best to ascertain that May 09 will be clean, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible,” ends Bautista. (COMELEC)