Comelec chair: Put voter registration machines on ground floor for accessibility

MANILA (UPDATED) — There should be at least one voter registration machine on the ground floor of poll offices to ensure accessibility, Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia said on Thursday.

Garcia reiterated the policy after an 80-year-old woman was asked to climb the stairs to the third floor at the election office in General Santos City.

“In fact, nag-issue kami ng reminder [ngayon] lang sa buo bansa [na dapat] may isang registration machine sa ground [floor] kung kailangan tumaas ang applicants sa next [floor],” he told ABS-CBN News in a message.

(In fact, we just issued a reminder to election offices in the country that there should be one registration machine on the ground floor, if applicants need to go up to higher floors.)

He said the priority for the ground floor machines are senior citizens, persons with disabilities and others in the vulnerable sector to “[ensure] convenience on their registration experience.”

Garcia said he has called the attention of the election officer in General Santos City, who apologized over the incident.

Comelec – Soccsksargen’s Regional Election Director Michael Abas said they “deeply regret” what transpired.

“We recognize that this incident reflects a shortcoming on our part, particularly in ensuring that our services are accessible, convenient, and responsive to the needs of everyone,” he said in a statement.

He said he has ordered field offices to review and assess their arrangements to make sure they are “more accessible and reasonable.”

The Comelec opened voter registration on November 10. It will run until July 30, 2027.

Garcia said the registration has been a “blockbuster,” with approximately 80,000 applicants for the first two days.

The poll body is anticipating around three million registrants, but noted that the target may be exceeded amid the surge of applicants.