Things to remember when we vote on May 09, 2022

Article 5 Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine constitution states that "Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or another substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage"

As Ruizians, our right to elect and choose our leaders is the basis for social participation. Together with our leaders, we can participate in our nation's building. So, as this is our right, we should also be mindful of the people whom we trust to run our government.

In a press release statement made by the COMELEC last February 8, 2022, they said that more than half of the country's 65.7 million voters are between the ages of 18 and 41, making them a "prime mover" in the election outcomes in May 2022. In this regard, the youth are part of this election and many of them are first-time voters, so it is necessary for them to know what to do and remember in the upcoming May 9, 2022, national and local elections.

Registered voters will vote for politicians to fill executive and legislative positions at the national, provincial, and local levels. The presidency, vice presidency, 12 senate seats, 300 lower house members, and around 18,000 local positions, ranging from city mayors and provincial governors to local council seats across the country, are all up for grabs by the candidates in the May 9, 2022 elections. 

The positions from national to local are as follows:

• President

• Vice president

• Senators

• Members of the House of Representatives from the district and party-list groups

• Members of provincial boards

• Provincial governors and vice-governors

• Mayors and vice-mayors of cities and municipalities

• Councilors

However, because of the health threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we should be aware that the voting procedure today changes drastically from the previous election. The COMELEC provided COVID-19 regulations to follow when we cast our vote this election. 

Here are some things to keep in mind before voting.

1. Have your temperature checked before entering the voting center.

2. Proceed to the Voters' Assistance Desk (VAD) to secure your precinct and sequence numbers and assigned room or clustered precinct.

3. Go to your assigned room and introduce yourself to the Electoral Board by stating your name, precinct, and sequence numbers.

4. Get your ballot, ballot secrecy folder, and marking pen, and fill out the ballot at the voting area.

5. Accomplish the ballot by fully shading the oval appearing before the name of the candidate you wish to vote for. Do not overvote.

6. Feed the ballot into the Vote Counting Machine (VCM).

7. Check your voter's receipt and then deposit it in the receptacle.

8. Have your right forefinger nail stained with indelible ink.

For more information about this, please visit: https://comelec.gov.ph/index.html?r=2022NLE/VoterEducation/StepsinVoting

Aside from the COVID-19 voter’s rule, the following things are also needed in the upcoming elections.

• Only mark your ballot with the official marker provided by the Board of Election Inspectors.

• The ballots should not be folded, crumpled, or torn.

• Do not photograph the completed or filled-out ballots.

• Voter receipts should not be kept or photographed.

We must understand our right to vote. Having this right can make significant changes in improving our government’s system. Also, we must consider carefully who we vote for. We need to do more research into their platforms and track records to identify which candidates are most qualified to lead our country. 

It's not too late; think, be educated, and do not become blind. Vote wisely!