In Davao City, voters like Parojinog would choose from pre-printed ballots that bear the names of 125 candidates for local elective posts for the first, second and third districts, 61 candidates for senators, eight candidates for vice president, ten candidates for president and 187 partylist groups.
Parojinog needs only to vote for one President, Vice President, and a partylist group, 12 senators, and for local elective positions — one candidate for congress, a mayor, vice mayor and eight councilors. If she “overvotes” or shades more than what is required, the PCOS machine would invalidate her vote.
Kontra Daya, a Manila-based anti-fraud group reiterated in their March 2 statement their queries to the Comelec on the clear guidelines on rejected ballots. This is among other serious concerns that the group lodged before the Comelec.
But Comelec, which has been under fire with election preparation delays, questions about the trustworthiness of PCOS machines, has yet to act on Kontra Daya’s recommendations.
Davao voters during the mock elections held in the city. (photo by Karlos Manlupig)
With the elections in full swing, Parojinog’s village leader, Jinalyn Aperdo told Davao Today in February that “many of us are still ignorant with the new poll system.” Aperdo, 38, had wanted the Comelec to bring their voters education down to the purok level.
In the voters’ education conducted by the progressive partylist group AnakPawis, residents have shown “heightened curiosity” over the country’s first poll automation, said Franchi Buhayan, spokesperson of the progressive urban poor group Kadamay.
The group urges residents to vote for candidates who have pro-people platforms and background, actively expose electoral fraud and be vigilant on the possible outcome and scenarios of the upcoming May elections.
Comelec registered a total of 2.56 million voters in Southern Mindanao, including new registrants. Voters turn out in the region during the 2007 midterm elections also reached 80 to 85 per cent.
“Let’s see what will come out of this,” Parojinog says of the upcoming national and local elections in May. (Daisy C. Gonzales/ davaotoday.com)
