Consolacion residents want voting transferred to malls in succeeding elections

Residents of Brgy Pitogo in Consolacion town were among those who tried mall voting during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabatan Elections on Monday. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Ledelina Candido, 56, said she enjoyed her mall voting experience on Monday, October 30.

She said SM Mall in Consolacion town, where the voting was held, was very spacious and fully air conditioned.

Chairs were also provided for her and the other voters to sit on while they wait for their turn to cast their votes.

Candido said that the casting of votes was also very fast and orderly.  And the best part was that the mall was within walking distance from her home.

“Anhi nalang permi kay comfortable ug dali ra sad. Duol ra sad sa amo balay ari. Sa barangay akong experience didto, pwerting inita, samok, taas kaayo linya. Dinhi, okay ra kay nakabotar dayon mi,” she said.

(I hope that voting will already be held here because it’s very comfortable.  It’s also close to my home.  In the Barangay, it’s very hot, chaotic and the lines are very long.  Here, we were able to immediate vote.)

Candido was among the Barangay Pitogo residents who experienced mall voting for the first time during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Monday after Consolacion town was chosen as one of the two pilot areas in Cebu.  The other one was Robinsons Galleria-Cebu in Cebu City.

Consolacion town residents wait for their turn to vote during the mall voting for the Barangay and Sanggunaing Kabataan Elections on Monday. CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino

Just like Candido, Peregreno Cutanda, 76, was all praises for his mall voting experience, saying that it was very convenient.  He also expressed hope that future elections would already be done in malls.

“Ganahan ko kay hapsay, bugnaw kay dako man. Okay ra guro dinhi ipadayun kay sa barangay init kaayo,” said Cutanda.

(I like it here because it’s very orderly and air conditioned because the area is big.  It’s okay with me if voting will be done here because it’s very hot when done in the barangay.)

For Susana Barro, 43, mall voting was very beneficial especially for her health.

“Mas komportable sa mall ug gutuman ka naa ra (mapalit nga pagkaon). Bugnaw sad siya. Sa barangay okay ra sad, init lang gyud unya sama namo nga taas og dugo, murag delikado gyud mi gamay,” she said.

(Voting in the mall is very comfortable because you can immediately eat when you start to feel hungry.  It’s also air conditioned.  And while it’s also okay to have voting done in the Barangay, it’s not conducive for people like me who have high blood pressure.)

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