Filipinos with COVID-19 symptoms can vote on May 9, says COMELEC
There’s a little less than a week before the 2022 National and Local Elections, and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) continues preparing for the big day. The poll body also informed the public that it will allow individuals to vote even if they appear to have COVID-19 symptoms.
In a press briefing on April 25, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia explained that they have health protocols in place. He added, ‘For everyone’s information, just because you have cough colds, fever, or loose bowel movement, or other indicators that perhaps you have COVID-19.’
Garcia emphasized that “all 67.4 million Filipinos will be allowed to vote as what is happening now in the overseas voting”. There will be isolation polling places (IPPs), where symptomatic individuals will be directed to cast their votes.
Garcia added that the IPPs will still be located beside the designated precincts and they will inform political parties, citizen groups, and candidates of their isolation policy. He pointed out, ‘We will not drive away anybody. Everybody will be entitled to exercise their constitutional right to vote.’
Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, another Comelec commissioner, had already previously said that the poll body had planned on creating polling places to protect voters from the virus. She also considered arranging a medical team stationed at precincts to provide quick medical assistance on May 9.
When it comes to declaring the postponement of the elections because of a potential COVID-19 case surge, Garcia said the provision of the Omnibus Election Code Sec. 6 will not justify a postponement of the elections. He said, ‘The question is can the Covid-19 situation or spike in Covid-19 be considered as a force majeure? That is something we will have to decide later.’
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The post <b> Filipinos with COVID-19 symptoms can vote on May 9, says COMELEC </b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
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