Local absentee voting set for April 27 to 29, 2022

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has scheduled for April 27 to 29, 2022 the local absentee voting (LAV) involving government officials and employees, military and police personnel, as well as media workers.

The guidelines on the application and the manner of LAV for voters who will be performing their respective duties on the day of the election on May 9, 2022 were promulgated by the poll body on October 27 through Comelec Resolution 10725.

The poll body allows government employees and officials, members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as media workers, including photojournalists, documentary makers, technical and support staff, bloggers, and freelance journalists to avail of the local absentee voting.

A manual system of elections shall be adopted for the LAV and those who will avail it can only vote for the positions of president, vice president, senators, and party-list representative.

Approved local absentee voters may cast their ballots any day from April 27 to 29, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Government agency heads, AFP and PNP commanders will designate voting places for the LAV of their subordinates.

Meanwhile, members of the media shall vote at the Comelec office where they filed their applications for LAV.

How to apply? 

Government employees and officials, and the members of the AFP and PNP should file their application forms to the head of their respective officers or commanders not later than March 7, 2022.

The same deadline is set for media workers and they can submit their applications before the Office of the Regional Election Director (ORED) of the National Capital Region in case of highly urbanized cities in the National Capital Region (NCR); or Office of the City Election Officer (OCEO) in case of highly urbanized or independent cities outside the NCR; or Offices of the Provincial Election Supervisor (OPES) for areas that were not mentioned above.

Requirements for media voters 

The Comelec said application forms for media voters must be accompanied by a certification accomplished by the head of media entities to whom the applicants belong, attesting that they are bona fide members of the media entity and that they may not be able to vote due to performance of their functions in covering and reporting the conduct of elections.

Those who willfully gave false information or misrepresentation in the certifications submitted shall be charged with applicable offense under pertinent laws and regulations.

Media personnel’s application shall be sworn to before any notary public; or Comelec regional, city, or provincial officers.

The heads of government employees, officials, as well as the commanders of AFP and PNP personnel may administer oaths to their subordinates free of charge.

COVID-19 protocols 

As the 2022 elections will be conducted amid a pandemic, the Comelec said the voting venue for LAV shall be spacious and well-ventilated.

The Comelec requires strict observance of health protocols, which include temperature check, submission of COVID-19 Health Declaration Form, wearing of face mask and face shield, and social distancing, among others.

If a voter registers a temperature of 37.5 Celsius or higher, the voter shall not be allowed entry and shall be advised to rest for five minutes.

After five minutes and the body temperature is still at 37.5 Celsius or higher, the voter will be led to a medical assistance desk for the issuance of clearance.

A voter will not be allowed to enter the polling place without being cleared and issued a certification from the medical assistance desk.

If a voter exhibits symptoms of COVID-19, she or he will be escorted to the Isolation Area where they will be allowed to cast their votes. 

COVID-19-positive government employees and military and police personnel shall be allowed to vote if they are undergoing quarantine in the same location as the actual place of voting.

Those who are not undergoing quarantine in the facility outside the premises of their offices, camps, or headquarters during the days of LAV will not be allowed to cast their votes. — VBL, GMA News