CHR calls on Comelec to ensure accessibility in polling places
INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — After the conduct of May 2025 midterm elections, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure accessibility in polling places.
This is among the recommendations the CHR released on Tuesday after it observed election gains and woes “in pursuit of an electoral system that fully respects, protects, and fulfills the rights of all voters.”
“While the 2025 elections reflect progress in participation and innovation, persistent barriers to full inclusion, safety, and informed decision-making must be addressed through sustained reforms,” the CHR said in a statement.
The CHR commended the early voting for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women but pointed out the inaccessibility of many polling places.
“Several voting sites lacked ramps, shaded waiting areas, functioning accessible restrooms, or wheelchairs. In numerous cases, voters had to climb steep stairs or endure the long wait under extreme heat,” the CHR noted.
READ: Priority voters wait for hours in some Manila poll places
The CHR said that the Comelec, Department of Education (DepEd), and the local government units should collaborate to make polling spaces accessible to voters.
“These include the construction of ramps, installation of handrails, provision of wheelchairs, and availability of accessible restrooms,” CHR noted.
It added that other modes of voting such as roving ballots can be considered so priority voters can cast their votes wherever they are located.
In line with this, the CHR recommended for the poll body and other agencies to enforce initiatives that will ensure the safety of the voters amid threatening heat weather conditions. This includes equipping voting facilities with shaded waiting areas, ample ventilation, hydration stations, and heat mitigation measures.
Other recommendations
Meanwhile, the commission called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to adopt preventive and community-based security approaches in identified hotspots,” emphasizing that investigations on election-related violence must be transparent.
The PNP on Tuesday said that it validated 46 election-related incidents (ERIs) from the start of election period on January 12 to election day, May 12. Data showed that the Cordillera Administrative Region had the highest number of ERIs so far.
READ: Violence, glitches mar 2025 midterm polls
Reported election day violence included three people, including a poll watcher, killed while two others were injured in a boat clash in Basilan, just hours before the voting began. Two people were killed while five were wounded in a shooting incident early Monday in Silay City.
Aside from this, the CHR also said that voter information and digital literacy must be promoted to combat disinformation. It emphasized that vulnerable voters, including persons deprived of liberty must be aware of their voting rights.
It added that the Department of Information and Communications Technology must partner with DepEd and media organizations to promote digital literacy beginning at high school level.
“Social media companies must be held accountable for content moderation failures, and inter-agency collaboration should be strengthened to allow faster identification and takedown of malicious content,” it said.
Lastly, the CHR called on the Congress to review proposals to pass the Anti-Dynasty Law and support political party reforms and campaign finance regulation.
On the other hand, the Comelec is urged to expand women’s political participation programs and publish gender-disaggregated data in post-election reports.
The CHR pointed out the dominance of political dynasties in the country and the underrepresentation of women in various seats.
“Public dissatisfaction with dynastic politics remains high, and the CHR echoes the view of international observers that entrenched political families hinder democratic competition and meaningful change,” it noted.
While it commended the initiatives of the poll body to curb vote-buying, vote-selling and abuse of state resources, it called on the public to report these election offenses and demand accountability from public officials. /cb
