The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) began a demonstration on how to use a vote counting machine (VCM) on Friday morning in an effort to educate the public about the voting process for the May 2022 national and local elections.
Kareen Tumlos, the COMELEC Palawan election assistant, told Palawan News that the roadshow will allow participants as well as first-time voters to experience and “familiarize” the actual use of VCM in a demonstration roadshow.
“Nag coconduct tayo nito para at least ma-familiarize ‘yong mga kababayan natin na hindi pa nakaka-vote o first time voters. Para bago sila pumunta sa voting center ay ma-experience na po nila agad. At mawala po ‘yong mga agam-agam ng mga tao,” Tumlos said.
Tumlos said the VCM demo and experience will be staged in SM Puerto Princesa City from April 22 to April 24, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in preparation for the local and national elections.
Computerized voter’s list
When asked about the Computerized Voter’s List (CVL), city COMELEC officer Shiela Sison said that the CVL has been forwarded to the respective barangays where voters can check their names as early as now.
“Yong posted computerized voter’s list ipapaskil ‘yan ng ating mga electoral boards on the day of the election pero nag bigay na kami sa mga barangay ng mga list of voters so that ‘yong ating mga botante ay mache-check na nila ang kanilang mga pangalan,” Sison said.
“If ever sa list of voters na pinadala namin sa barangay ay hindi nakita ‘yong kanilang pangalan, bumisita po sila agad sa aming opisina para malaman namin ‘yong dahilan,” Sison added.
Priority lane
Meanwhile, voters with a temperature above 37.5 degrees will be able to vote at an Isolation Polling Place (IPP), while individuals in the vulnerable sector, such as those with disabilities, senior citizens, and heavily pregnant women, will be able to vote at an Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP).
Sison also told voters to learn about their voting precincts as soon as possible in order to avoid any problems when they go to vote.
“Lagi namin pinapanawagan to know their precincts as early as now para hindi nagtatagal sa paghahanap ng mga pangalan,” Sison said.
