Priority voters wait for hours in some Manila poll places

Priority polling place at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila. —Photo by Dianne Sampang | INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — As the early voting period for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women began early Monday morning, many priority voters in Manila said they had to wait for hours before they cast their ballots due to the lack of assistance and long lines.

The early voting period for the vulnerable sectors was set for 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., and they could vote at the priority polling places on the ground floor of the schools or at their designated polling precincts.

At Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila, many priority voters waited for hours before they were provided their ballots.

READ: Elderly, PWD Pangasinenses laud Comelec’s early voting hours

Sherly Mangaluz, a 63-year-old who had suffered a mild stroke, was accompanied by her son at the priority polling place. They waited for almost an hour before getting her ballot.

Alfredo Milarde said he could not go to his designated polling precinct on the fourth floor as he had trouble walking. He told INQUIRER.net that he had been trying to line up at the priority polling place.

“I would have gone there, but there were a lot of people. The lines may be long, but I will still vote,” he said in Filipino.

While some priority voters expressed their dismay over long lines and the waiting game, some voters shared their smooth voting process.

Long lines at the elevator await priority voters at Rosauro Almario Elementary School. —Photo by Dianne Sampang | INQUIRER.net

Senior citizen couple Elizabeth and Israel Peren said they voted at their designated area on the fourth floor. Elizabeth noted that they did not encounter any problem even in shading ballots and feeding them into the automated counting machine.

“Queueing for the elevator took us longer,” Israel said.

The same sentiment was also shared by 62-year-old Josie Moscare, who voted at her polling precinct on the fifth floor. She said that she did not have a hard time voting, but she described some situations of other voters.

“I feel bad for other senior citizens. They had a hard time taking the stairs. The elevators were full,” she said.

Meanwhile, senior citizen voters at the Legarda Elementary School in Sampaloc, Manila, pointed out the lack of assistance from polling officers.

Gil Collantes said the voters were required to fill out a piece of paper with their voting information before the voting assistant came. He said senior citizens had to go to the second floor and return to the first floor.

“There was no sign of what the first or second step should be,” Collantes told INQUIRER.net.

Elizabeth Palma said that, while she had a pleasant and smooth voting process, with teachers assisting her from the beginning, others did not.

“Those who had a hard time taking the stairs were not assisted. They should have been assisted in the priority lane since others did not know this existed.  I feel bad for them,” Palma said.

READ: 43°C heat alters voting behavior in many areas

On the other hand, 70-year-old Mercidita Balancio told INQUIRER.net that she had a pleasant voting experience at the priority polling precinct even when she waited for 30 minutes. She was accompanied by her son as she needed assistance due to her bad eyesight.

“My situation at the queue was okay, even when it was hot. I brought my fan with me,” she said. /atm