Manila Bulletin - Saturday, November 7
Voting in the May 2010 automated elections will be much easier especially for persons with poor reading abilities, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Saturday.
Comelec Chairman Jose A. R. Melo said voting will not only be made faster but much easier even for those who can't read and write because of their planned design for the ballot.
"Hindi na kapareho noong araw na isusulat ang pangalan. Kung hindi marunong magbasa ang voter meron pa tagasulat. Dito wala na," he told reporters in an interview.
"We are going to put numbers opposite the names of the candidates. So an illiterate voter may not be able to read a name but he'll be able to read the number. So hindi na kailangan assisted voting," added Melo.
The only thing that the candidate needs to do, he said, is tell the people of their corresponding number in the official ballot when they are campaigning.
"Marami na kaming nakausap na kandidato and they are in favor of that. Lalo na sa maraming category kagaya ng party-list," Melo said.
Although the May 2010 elections is automated, he said, the use of technology is also very minimal as far as voting is concerned.
"Very minimal ang technology in the real sense as far as voting is concerned. Unlike before, a voter has to write names. Here you are just shading.
So mas madali iyan," the Comelec chief said. (Leslie Ann Aquino)
Voting in the May 2010 automated elections will be much easier especially for persons with poor reading abilities, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Saturday.
Comelec Chairman Jose A. R. Melo said voting will not only be made faster but much easier even for those who can't read and write because of their planned design for the ballot.
"Hindi na kapareho noong araw na isusulat ang pangalan. Kung hindi marunong magbasa ang voter meron pa tagasulat. Dito wala na," he told reporters in an interview.
"We are going to put numbers opposite the names of the candidates. So an illiterate voter may not be able to read a name but he'll be able to read the number. So hindi na kailangan assisted voting," added Melo.
The only thing that the candidate needs to do, he said, is tell the people of their corresponding number in the official ballot when they are campaigning.
"Marami na kaming nakausap na kandidato and they are in favor of that. Lalo na sa maraming category kagaya ng party-list," Melo said.
Although the May 2010 elections is automated, he said, the use of technology is also very minimal as far as voting is concerned.
"Very minimal ang technology in the real sense as far as voting is concerned. Unlike before, a voter has to write names. Here you are just shading.
So mas madali iyan," the Comelec chief said. (Leslie Ann Aquino)