Comelec turns down PSC request to allow SEA Games-bound athletes to vote early in May 2022 polls

Looks like most national athletes competing in the Southeast Asian Games next year will not be able to cast their votes in the May 2022 elections.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Sports Commission said the Commission on Elections has turned down its request to include Vietnam-bound athletes in the local absentee voting.

The SEA Games will kick off from May 12 to 23 in Hanoi next year. The opening ceremony will unfurl just three days after the national and local polls, which is set on May 9.

"The main bulk of the delegation will be leaving for Vietnam no less than a week before the opening ceremony. This is because our athletes need to acclimatize and get the feel of the competition venues, environment and weather," said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino in a previous statement.

This means that the athletes attending the opening ceremony will miss the polls. Tolentino said, however, that it's one of the sacrifices that they have to make while representing the country in international competition.

Only government officials and employees, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines AFP who are assigned in places where they are not registered voters may be covered by local absentee voting.

Likewise, members of the media who are reporting on the conduct of the elections may be covered.

"The COMELEC letter informed that since the athletes, coaches and delegates are not part of the aforementioned groups who will be performing election duties they cannot act upon the PSC's request," read the PSC statement.

"While this is sad news for all concerned, the PSC Board respects the COMELEC's advice. Only national athletes who are also military personnel or fall under any of the other categories mentioned above may register for Local Absentee Voting."

The local absentee voting period is from April 27 to 29, 2022 at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

—Bea Micaller/MGP, GMA News