RACE AGAINST TIME: Comelec-Aklan prepares for ‘New Normal’ setup for 2022 polls

By Angelika N. Buergo

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Aklan has its works cut out for it as it races against time to prepare for the May 2022 polls.

With less than a year left until election day, Comelec-Aklan is on the move to ensure a safe and efficient registration and voting process.

With health protocols in place, the poll office doubled their preparation and urged Aklanons to register for the elections.

Comelec Aklan extended its office hours from 3pm to 5pm on Tuesday to Saturday to accommodate more registrants. To ensure the safety of the employees and the people who will register, all Comelec offices are disinfected every Monday.

The nationwide voter registration period started on January 20, 2020. It will run until September 30, 2021.

Comelec Aklan Spokesperson Crispin Raymund Gerardo urged Aklanons to register early to avoid overcrowding.

“Mayad eon magparehistro it timprano agud indi kita mag dueugsuan ag agud makasiguro kita nga makasunod tanan sa health protocol,” Gerardo said.

(It’s better to register early so that we can avoid overcrowding and follow the health protocol.)

Gerardo also assured that the election will not be postponed despite the pandemic.

“Abo man akong nababatian pero sigurado gid nga madayon ru election kaya dapat indi eon mag aeang-aeang magparehistro,” he added.

(I heard a lot of things about this issue but the election will surely continue. This is why we should not be hesitant to register.)

PROTOCOLS

Due to the current health crisis, the Comelec proposed health protocols to be implemented during the registration and the election day.

Physical distancing is required along with wearing facemasks and face shields in Comelec offices. Foot baths and sanitation area will also be provided at the entrance and the body temperature of the registrants will also be taken.

The registrants must also accomplish the Health Declaration Form using their own pens. For fingerprint scanning, registrants must sanitize their hands before proceeding. The removal of masks and face shield will only be allowed while taking a photo for capturing biometric data.

A special committee headed by Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho has also been formed to oversee and coordinate the country’s task force for pandemic response during the election.

They are also formulating policies and guidelines to ensure the safety of voters, watchers, and the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) on polling day and counting.

“During halalan, kumpol-kumpol po ang mga tao sa mga eskuwelahan so ‘yun ‘yung masyadong malaking hurdle natin, but labas diyan pinag-aaralan pa namin paano natin ma-maximize na hindi magkakahawahan just in case tutuloy-tuloy nga itong pandemic,” Kho said in an interview.

(During the election, overcrowding in the schools [precincts] will be a big hurdle. But aside from that, we are looking to maximize the space while also avoiding the threat of contacting [COVID-19], just in case this pandemic still continues.)

The Comelec will also add clustered precincts and vote-counting machines, to ease the voting centers and to avoid queues and congestion of voters.

According to the commission, there is only one machine allotted for one thousand voters so far.

“Ang initial plan namin is at least 5 voters at one given time ‘yung makakaboto. That is why kailangan namin dagdagan yung mga VCMs (Vote Counting Machines), ‘yung mga makina na gagamitin natin. Dadagdag kami up to 10,000 machines,” Kho said.

(Our initial plan is to have 5 voters at one given time. That is why we need to add VCMs (Vote Counting Machines) to be used [during the election]. We will add up to 10,000 machines.)

‘NEW NORMAL’ GUIDELINES

Aside from the implemented health protocols observed during the registration process, the Comelec is also forming new guidelines for the campaign and election proper.

“Mayroon tayong nakikitang mga glimmers of possible areas of regulation but we would like to wait until we can release the whole thing. Certainly, before October, before the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC),” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in an interview.

(We are seeing glimmers of possible areas of regulation, but we would like to wait until we can release the whole thing. Certainly, before October, before the filing of the COC.)

Included in the guidelines that will be adjusted by the commission are the conduct of election campaigns and the process of COC filing.

“May una eon kita nga ginasunod nga calendar of activities, daya hay ru memo [Resolution No. 10695] nga maghalin gid sa national. Pero gahueat pa kita it specific gid nga rules and guidelines especially sa pagconduct it campaigns ag pag file it COC,” election officer Anren Legaspi said.

(We already have a calendar of activities to follow, this is the memo [Resolution No. 10695] issued by the Comelec. We are still waiting for the rules and guidelines especially in conducting campaigns and the filing of COC.)

Legaspi also said that the rules and regulations will be modified according to the ‘New Normal’ set up.

“Ro among ginaexpect hay medyo mabuhayan gid ru process it pagboto. Ginaavoid abi naton nga mag kumpol-kumpol. Pero sa makaron, mahueat lang anay kita sa finalized nga guidelines ag kung ano ro best nga intervention sa raya ngara nga atong sitawasyon,” she added.

(We expect that the voting process will be longer. This is because we are avoiding overcrowding. We are still waiting for the finalized guidelines and the best intervention for this situation.)

“For now, tanan nga Comelec offices iya sa Aklan hay gafollow gid anay sa health protocols. Duyon du pinakabasis namon makaron to operate,” she said.

(For now, all Comelec offices in Aklan are following the health protocols – that is our main basis for operation.)

ELECTION PREPARATION

“Syempre as preparation sa election hay amon gid ah nga first priority is the registration. Duyon du importante especially sa mga ga 18 years old (first-time voters), tanan nga application, transfer, new registration ginaaccomodate namon makaron in preparation sa May 2022,” Legaspi said.

(To prepare for the election, our first priority is the registration. This is important especially for 18 year-olds and first time voters. We are currently processing all of the applications – from transfers to new registration – we accommodate them all in preparation for May 2022.)

With regards to the expected decline of new registrants because of the pandemic, Legaspi noted that it is too early to conclude whether there really is a decline or not.

“Ru registrants hay same lang man gihapon. Gafollow lang naton ru mga certain protocols. Pero in regards sa registrants, wa pa man nagbawas gid.”

(The number of registrants is the same. We just follow certain protocols. With the registrants, we don’t see substantial decline yet.)

“Syempre ru expected makaron nga mag abo (registrants) hay sa last day (of registration) gid. Karun sanda gadueugsuan. Pero ro among turnouts hay okay lang man.”

(We expect that there would be a spike in the number of registrants on the last day [of registration]. There would be a crowd. But as of now, our turnouts are fine.)

She also noted that strict health protocols will be implemented during the registration and the election proper.

“Dahil sa pandemic kita, pahauman gid ru procedure kato kasi indi man pwede kita magdutdutan. Kaya kami iya sa Comelec hay gapahaom eon man sa mga health and safety measures.”

(Because we are in a pandemic, we prepared certain procedure because we have to avoid close contact. Here in Comelec, we are already preparing health and safety measures.)

With health and safety protocols in place, Legaspi said that the usual processing of documents would take longer than expected. This is to ensure that the health guidelines are followed all throughout the registration process.

“Indi gid ah naton maexpect nga parehas gid ah sa dati ag ginaexpect man naton makaron nga mabuhayan atong voting process dahil sa pandemic.”

(We can’t expect that this would be like the pre-pandemic process. We expect that the voting and registration processes would take longer because of the pandemic.)

“Ginasunod man namon ru protocols pero bukon it parehas sa dati nga pagsueod sa opisina hay matao eat ah kami it registration forms, hay makaron magi pa sanda it fill up it health declaration form, icheck pa namon andang temperature. Tapos ru aton pa nga disinfection process hay ginasunod gid kaya medyo mahinay man makaron du registration process. Bukon it parehas dati nga diretso eot ah eagi,” she explained.

(We follow health protocols. Unlike in the past, one can just go inside the Comelec office and fill out the registration form. Now, the registrants have to fill up an additional health declaration form and we will also check their temperature. We also follow our disinfection process, hence the registration is quite slow as compared before.)

Despite the minor delays, she explained that there are no major issues in accommodating registrants.

“Pero as of now, wa man kami it problem sa pag accommodate dahil bukon pa man sanda it abo makaron,” she added.

(But as of now, we don’t have any problems with regards to accommodating registrants because there are still a few of them.)

“Ro amon eang kara nga concern hay sa last day, dahil usually pila gid run so mas higpitan pa gid dapat ru pagimplement it health protocols,” Legaspi said.

(We are more concerned on the last day of registration because this is usually when long queues of people will flock the office. it is important to tighten the implementation of the health protocol when that day comes.)

Legaspi also said that some municipalities Aklan will put up satellite registrations to accommodate and reach more voters.

SATELLITE REGISTRATION

The Comelec is also eyeing satellite registrations especially in the far-flung areas of Aklan to reach more voters and registrants.

The travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic has made the registration process more difficult for some of the residents which is why Comelec Aklan is also planning to set up satellite registration in barrios that are far from the main Comelec offices, said Legaspi.

Aklan provincial election supervisor Atty. Elizabeth Doronila also said in an interview that she considers transportation as one of the challenges during the elections, particularly in the town of Libacao, which is on a mountain range.

Four of the town’s barangays, hosting four clustered precincts with a total of more than 1,000 voters, are barely accessible, she added.

During an online House hearing, Comelec Deputy Executive Director Teopisto Elnas Jr. said they currently only have 18,945 satellite registration offices for next May’s elections.

“Isang reason dito is matagal-tagal tayong [hindi] nakapag resume ng registration natin because of the lockdown last year and given the fact na maraming areas na nag lock down, nag MECQ, and other declarations which hindered the Comelec,” he said.

(One of the reasons is we couldn’t resume for a long time due to the various lockdowns since last year, where many areas were either under lockdown, MECQ, and other declarations that hindered the Comelec.)

“Nonetheless, tama ‘yung sinabi… na satellite registration would really help, especially in areas na malayo,” he added.

(Nonetheless, it is right that satellite registrations would really help, especially in areas that are far away.)

 ‘SMOOTH PROCESS’

“Smooth man du process it registration. I don’t mind man dahil syempre, para man sa safety naton du protocols,” said 18-year old Hans Chuchill Buergo.

(The registration is a smooth process. I don’t mind (the health protocols) because it is for our safety.)

Buergo filed his registration on May 28, 2021 and will be voting for the first time in 2022.

“Nag-observe kami it social distancing ag nag-disnfect man kada buoe it biometrics. Okay man du process, mas panatag ako kato dahil ginasigurado nga malimpyo tanan among nabuytan,” he added.

(We observed social distancing and we also got disinfected when our biometrics were taken. The process was okay, I am more at ease because they ensured that every surface that I touch is clean.)

Buergo also emphasized that it is important for him to register because it would be his first time to vote. He also encouraged fellow youths to register and exercise their right to vote.

“Importante kakon nga makavote ako sa 2022 dahil daya ra hay first time nakon. Ag syempre, importante gid nga maexercise ko akong right to vote,” Buergo said.

(It is important for me to vote on 2022 because it is my first time. And of course, it is important for me to exercise my right to vote.)

(The author is a Communications and Media Studies student of UP-Visayas)