Comelec guarantees priority polling precincts for seniors, PWDs

Photo from COMELEC

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) can vote in priority polling precincts in the 2025 midterm elections, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday.

During the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Red Cross, the Department of Health, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Garcia said that this initiative is a bid to make elections inclusive for senior citizens and PWDs.

“Pag ginusto ng mga nakatatanda o may nakapansanan na hindi sila bumoto sa 2nd floor or 3rd floor ng isang building dahil andun ang kanilang regular na presinto, mayroon po kaming priority polling place na ando’n lang po lahat sa ground floor,” Garcia said.

(If senior citizens or persons with disabilities opt not to vote in their regular polling precinct located on the 2nd or 3rd floor of a building, we have a priority polling place located on the ground floor.)

“Kaya dapat wala dapat nakatatanda na ayaw bumoto sa 2nd floor ang boboto sa 2nd floor,” Garcia added.

(That’s why they should not be forced to vote in the 2nd floor if they don’t want to.)

Garcia shared that there are around 12 million registered senior citizen voters and 600,000 from the PWD sector. 

READ: 42 malls nationwide to serve as voting centers for 2025 polls

He also said that 42 malls nationwide will serve as polling precincts for the 2025 midterm elections.  

The malls will be open at 5 a.m. for the start of early voting hours for senior citizens, pregnant women, and PWDs.