Ivan Jason Delos Santos, administration officer of the Commission on Election in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) shares his assessment of the Barangay and SK Election during a press briefing at the Police Regional Office-7 on Monday, October 30. | CDN File Photo by Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Among the concerns raised by some voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections in Cebu City on October 30 was the availability of a separate voting place for senior citizens.
But the Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec-7) said they would be willing to improve this aspect in the next Barangay and SK Elections.
READ: LIVE UPDATES: 2023 Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections
Comelec-7 exec: More available spaces
“I do hope that we’ll have a more available spaces for the next election so that we can also cater these PWDs (persons with disability), senior citizens, and pregnant women so that we can assist them very well during the election,” Ivan Jason Delos Santos said, the administration officer of Comelec-7.
Moreover, Delos Santos said during a press conference at the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) at 5 p.m. on Monday, that they would look for improvements in the assignments of the rooms for the PWDs whose polling places were located on the 2nd floor.
“We’ll know all these areas that need improvements and hopefully on the next election, we can do better as always,” Delos Santos said.
READ: Barangay, SK election experience: Rama suggests separate voting place for seniors
Rama: Be mindful of senior citizens
Among the voters who expressed their concerns with their voting places was Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama whose precinct was located on the 4th floor of one of the buildings in Guadalupe Elementary School in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
After he cast his vote at around 10 a.m. on Monday, Rama told reporters that the Comelec should be mindful of senior citizens.
“Tua-a naman ko’s babaw nuon. I’m already a senior citizen,” Rama said.
(I was made to vote on the higher floors. I’m already a senior citizen.)
He suggested that it would be better to have the senior citizens vote on the ground floor.
READ: Senior citizens, PWDs hit ‘lack’ of accessibility support staff in precincts
Special place for senior citizens
Besides Rama, 72-year-old Nada Ruiz shared the same concern, saying it was hard for her to climb all the way to the 4th floor.
Ruiz earlier said in an interview with CDN Digital that it was okay for her since she still had the strength to climb up to the higher floor, but she also thought of the others who could not.
“I would like to suggest to these people here in the government that at least if there is a special place for the senior citizens. Kay malooy man gud ta [sa uban] (Because we pity others who find it difficult to climb the stairs),” Ruiz said.
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