Senator Estrada wants easier voting process for seniors, PWDs, other sectors

Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a measure aimed at making the electoral process more accessible to Filipinos in vulnerable situations, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, internally displaced persons (IDPs), health workers on duty, and repatriated overseas workers.

Filed as Senate Bill No. 1075, the proposal seeks to expand local absentee voting and improve polling facilities nationwide.

It introduces alternative voting arrangements for vulnerable sectors, allowing them to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day or vote in specially designated, accessible venues.

“Karapatan ng bawat Filipino, maliban na lamang kung diskwalipikado ng batas, ang bumoto. Hindi nawawala ang karapatang ito dahil sa kahinaan ng katawan, edad, o sitwasyon sa buhay,” Estrada said.

Estrada pointed out that although Republic Act No. 10366 already authorizes the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up exclusive accessible polling places for senior citizens and PWDs, many voters from vulnerable groups continue to face barriers to participation.

He cited the 2019 elections, during which only about three percent of the nearly eight million registered senior citizen voters were able to vote, underscoring persistent gaps in accessibility.

“The unfortunate low turnout underscores the urgency of strengthening the law to truly ensure accessible polling places,” he stressed.

Statistics presented during the Convention on Statistics organized by the Philippine Statistical System and led by the Philippine Statistics Authority in October 2022 indicate that more than 10.2 million registered voters are aged 60 and above, making up the largest segment of voters considered to be in vulnerable situations.

Under SB 1075, qualified voters from these sectors may avail of local absentee voting for at least two days within the week before Election Day, to be conducted in accessible establishments designated by the Comelec. The bill also allows the establishment of Emergency Accessible Polling Places in locations such as residences, hospitals, quarantine facilities, jails, IDP areas, and other sites where voters may have difficulty accessing regular polling centers.

The measure lays down more detailed standards for accessible polling places, including the installation of ramps and railings, the availability of wheelchairs, proper lighting and ventilation, candidate lists in Braille, and the presence of sign language interpreters. It also provides for transportation or shuttle services to assist vulnerable voters in reaching polling sites.

To support implementation, the bill proposes the creation of a Vulnerable Sectors Office within the Comelec, tasked with overseeing programs and services for these groups.

“This is about dignity and equal participation. Voting is a right, not a privilege,” Estrada said. “No Filipino should be denied a voice in choosing our leaders simply because voting was made physically or logistically difficult for them," he said.

-Paraluman News