Lack of system during voting: Voters disappointed

CEBU, Philippines - Words of disappointments were all that can be heard from the voters who had to queue and endure the scorching heat under the sun wait to finally get the chance to experience the country’s first ever poll automation.

The most common complaint of voters was the lack of efficient crowd control system that has caused delays in different polling centers all throughout the province.

“Gubot gyud kaayo… Dugay pa siguro kaayo ta makabotar… Wala’y saktong sistema para sa mga tawo…Maayo pa wala na lang nag-priority number... Kanus-a pa kaha mi makabotar ani, ganina ra man ming buntag diri…Manguli na lang ta uy kay dugay kaayo,” are the common cries heard from the voters.

Even as the election opened at 7 a.m. almost a thousand are already waiting inside and outside the different polling centers in the city. When the election finally started, people rushed to secure priority numbers.

Unfortunately, the priority numbers did not help to conduct the voting in an orderly manner in some polling precincts because senior citizens have to be accommodated breaking the order of priority.

In Lahug Elementary School where there are 21 clustered precincts voters were complaining against the teachers for being inefficient in managing the crowd resulting to only very few voters having cast their votes until lunchtime.

Teachers in-charge of the distribution of priority numbers, some said, also failed to do it systematically because most of the time, those who have just arrived were immediately given the priority numbers ahead of those who have been waiting in line for the longest time.

In Camp Lapu-Lapu National High School in barangay Apas, a voter waived her right to vote after waiting until lunchtime but still unable to vote even if she started queuing at 7:00 a.m..

 Clustered precinct number 11 where she is listed experienced series of PCOS machines breakdown further delaying the voting by almost three hours. The PCOS first shut down at 8 am, then another break down at 9:30 am and another technical failure at 12 noon.

“Ganina ra mi diri. Kakapoy baya. Mura’g di na gyud mi makabotar ani kay sige man sad kaguba ang machine. Gitagsa unta na nila ang makina kada presinto para dali ug ila unta na gitarong og palinya ang mga tawo kay tan-awa gud na, nagtapok ra ang mga tawo sa pultahan,” the voter said.

Gemparo Lucena, 47, a registered voter in Apas also shared the same observation and suggested that the Comelec next time must have a common plan to manage the lines.

“Dapat naa unta entrance and exit para di magkagubot ang mga tawo. Naa sad unta lain nga lane para sa mga senior citizens. Bati man gud kanina kay sige lang insert ang mga senior citizens, muapil pa gyud og botar ilang assistant, so musamot mi’g kadugay,” Lucena said.

Alex Comar, 49, on his part said that the delays are caused by teachers who are not well-oriented on the new system.

Naome Demol, a resident of the area, said she started to line up around 9 am but until 2 p.m. she hasn’t voted.

“Sus ganina ra gyud mi diri, wala pa mi kaon, hinay man kayo ang sistema oi, Naguba pa gyud ang PCOS machine,” she said.

In Abellana National School, people crowded in their clustered precincts, while some of them murmured about how the poll automation caused “never-ending delay”.

In Basak Elementary School in Lapu-lapu City, three elements of Philippine Air Force had to be present in the school premises to act as crowd control.

Around 2pm yesterday, a voting center in Barrio Bonbob, Aloguinsan, Cebu ran out of ballots while in Kawit, Medellin, some voters went home after a PCOS machine bogged down noon yesterday and no technician was around to fix it.

In Dumlao Elementary School, PCOS machine did not function forcing the Comelec to use spare PCOS machine.   Other areas that have experienced PCOS machine breakdown were: Pasil Elementary School; Oslob; Bogo; Opao, Labogon and Paknaan in Mandaue; Consolacion; Pahina Central Elementary School; Argao Elementary School; Gebitngil, Medellin; Cordova Central School; Sibonga Central School; Camputhaw Elementary School; and Don Vicente Rama Elementary School.

Already filled up ballots

In Brangay Basak-Pardo, at least two voters complained after they were given already filled up ballots.

Barangay Captain David “Dave” Tumulak said that members of the BEI at precinct 273 in Don Vicente Rama National High School distributed official ballots already filled up in favor of the opposition candidates.

The ballots were allegedly filled up in favor of Kusug standard-bearer Alvin Garcia and south district congressional candidate Jonathan “Atan” Guardo.

The FREEMAN failed to get the explanation of BEI chair Dione Pardillo, members May Formentera and Ricardo Diola because they were busy entertaining the hundreds of voters when the media tried to get their side.

Tumulak, through his barangay poll watchers, asked Pardillo to reflect the incident in the minutes of the election proceedings.

As of last night, Tumulak said voter Alberto Mancia already executed an affidavit narrating how he discovered the questionable activity.

Aside from Mancia another voter experienced the same. They were given another ballot though after they complained. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja, Marjun A. Baguio and Rene U. Borromeo/FPL (FREEMAN NEWS)