Bill seeks special polling places for disabled, elderly

MANILA, Philippines - Disabled and elderly voters will be assured of an easier time voting with accessibility walkways in polling centers once a bill in the House of Representatives is passed into law. House Bill 5589 proposes to cover any building or place where the board of election inspectors conducts its proceedings and where voters cast their votes. "Each polling place shall be, as much as practicable, a ground floor and of sufficient size to admit and comfortably accommodate 40 voters at one time," said author Rep. Narciso Santiago III in an article on the House of Representatives website (www.congress.gov.ph). Santiago said the Omnibus Election Code and the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons state that polling places should be made accessible to disabled persons during national and local elections. "However, the accessibility of polling places especially for those registered voters who are physically handicapped has been found to be inadequate," Santiago said. "Thus, there is a need for a special polling place in a barrier-free environment to be made available to handicapped people during elections in voting centers." The bill defines "barrier free environment" as an area where the special polling place within a voting center is located. It shall have architectural or structural features such as sidewalks, ramps, and railings that would reasonably enhance the mobility of the disabled and elderly, according to the bill. The measure provides that the Commission on Elections (Comelec), in coordination with local government units and other concerned government agencies and organizations, will conduct a study on the disabled and the elderly in a locality to get data on their number, distribution, the extent of their limitations that may restrict their ability to participate in election-related activities. Comelec will also provide for special polling places for the disabled and the elderly. However, the designation of these special polling places should not compromise nor alter the territorial jurisdiction used in election-related activities. In other words, no special precincts have to be created for this purpose. Also, the bill requires that a safety measure be provided once the Comelec determines who among the disabled and the elderly require a special polling place. It requires the preparation of a separate list containing the name, address, brief description of the disability, the precinct, and the city or town where he or she belongs, and if already available, the voter's identification number. The list will be posted one month before any election-related activity in two conspicuous places in the city or municipal hall for one week and will be regularly updated. - GMANews.TV