Missing names, confusion mar brgy. polls in Metro Manila

For some voters in Metro Manila, the 2013 barangay elections brought the same ol' poll-related headaches, as missing names and confusion still marred the conduct of the elections.

"Kanina pa po akong 6 a.m. nandito, hinahanap yung pangalan ko. Dapat kasi sa kabilang building kami pero nilipat kasi dahil sa sunog. Nagkakaron kasi tuloy ng shuffle,” one voter complained in Padre Burgos Elementary School in Manila.

The school, part of which was damaged by a recent fire, served as polling place for thousands of voters.

In a report on GMA News' “Unang Balita” on Monday, 644 voters from Barangay 560 and 1,629 from Barangay 576 were directly affected by the fire. Their polling precincts were moved to the SPED building.



Voters at the Kalayaan National High School in Caloocan also complained of missing names and confusing directories in their polling precincts, noting how the official list provided by the barangay didn’t match the school's list.

"Nakuha namin (itong listahan) sa barangay para malaman yung eksaktong presinto, pero hindi namin mahanap. Pagdating dito iba ang nakalagay dun, pagpunta dun, wala dun, hindi namin mahanap," voter Eva Rieza said.

"Wala naman sa directory, mali," another voter lamented.

Flyers, flyers everywhere!

In the midst of confusion over missing names, candidates’ supporters continued to give  out flyers at the very gate of the schools.

At Pres. Corazon Aquino Elementary School in Brgy Batasan Hills, Quezon City, supporters of some candidates also continued to distribute campaign materials despite it being banned by the election code.

GMA News reporter Ivan Mayrina approached one such volunteer to ask if she was aware that giving out flyers on election day is illegal under the election code, to which the woman replied that she wasn't.



But not all voters were inconvenienced in carrying out their civic duty to vote, as in Barangay Pembo, Makati City, senior citizens were taken care of, even as they waited for their chance to cast their votes.

According to an “Unang Balita” report, the senior citizens had their own tent, and were provided with seats so they could wait comfortably. The report also noted that it was a group of senior citizens within the barangay itself who coordinated the effort.

The report also said the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) would bring down the ballots to those who couldn't climb stairs.

When asked why she continues to cast her vote even at her advanced age, one voter said it was in her desire to see good people elected to office.

"Yung matulungin, mabait sa mga tao," said one senior citizen.

Corruption

However, another voter could not help but lament the corruption that he said is rampant even within the barangay level.

"Sana po yung mga barangay chairman pag manalo sila, wag nila pabayaan mga barangay nila. Kayong mga opisyal ng barangay, wag kayo mangurakot, mula Senado hanggang mayor, kurakot na," he said.

Early birds

Meanwhile in Malabon, voters trooped to polling precincts early to cast their votes, some before going to work despite the declared holiday.

"Inagahan ko po kasi may trabaho pa ako mamaya, inagahan ko para mauna na akong makaboto sa kandidato ko," said one voter in Brgy. Protrero

"Maganda kasing maaga para kaunti pa lang yung pila, madaling mahanap ang pangalan mo. Kumpleto naman yung mga precinct number. (Nag-flashlight ako) para makita, kasi madilim pa, pero nahanap ko naman," another voter said. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News