By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
LAOAG CITY—The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting is calling on volunteers to assist voters, particularly millennials who are voting for the first time in the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
As a duly accredited arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), PPCRV-Ilocos Norte’s Francisco Bitagon said Monday have already started the conduct of orientation to at least 75 volunteers who will serve as watchers in the upcoming elections.
In support for “clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections”, Mr. Bitagon appealed to the Comelec and all concerned government authorities to respect PPCRV watchers.
But since the May 14 elections will be conducted manually, Mr. Bitagon said the PPCRV will focus on assisting millennials this time.
To do so, Mr. Bitagon reiterated that election officials should equally respect assigned PPCRV watchers in the different precincts as the other watchers of candidates.
“We are your collaborators, we are your partners in electoral rights so you must give chance to our volunteers. They are there to watch. Treat them as your collaborators,” said Mr. Bitagon citing that during the previous elections, some PPCRV watchers were allegedly ignored.
Meanwhile, the PPCRV also reiterated the provision of priority lanes for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens and pregnant women as they observed that in the past, some precincts in the province had no special lanes for them.
“Please put priority lanes for PWDs, seniors and pregnant women. It is their right. Wait till you become a senior,” Mr. Bitagon stressed.
In Ilocos Norte, the Comelec reported there will be 368 voting centers covering 559 Barangays.