The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should promote contactless procedures or reduced physical contact for activities related to the upcoming 2022 national elections, researchers said.
On December 3, the La Salle Institute of Governance (LSIG) hosted a virtual policy forum titled "Covid-proofing the 2022 Elections: Lessons and Recommendations for Electoral Administration."
Ms. Carmela Fonbuena of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism moderating the forum
Ian Jason Hecita, lead policy research specialist of LSIG, said requiring contactless procedures would include utilizing virtual and electronic platforms in all Comelec transactions.
“There is a need to adopt measures that limit physical contact, promote physical distancing, encourage the use of virtual platforms, and setting of health standards in designated campaign areas and activities,” Hecita said in the virtual forum.
He also recommended coming up with a policy to vaccinate all election workers.
"The Comelec should consider adopting policies that mandate or encourage or incentivize vaccination and COVID-19 testing of all poll workers and other election support personnel," Hecita said.
Gerardo Eusebio, professorial lecturer at De La Salle University, emphasized the need for minimum health safety protocols during the conduct of the 2022 polls.
“In-person campaigns for national candidates should be more strictly limited if not outright banned so that cross-territorial infections can be avoided,” Eusebio said in the same forum.
Eusebio added that limitations for campaigning for local elections should be based on the quarantine alert level of the area.
“While in-person campaigns for national candidates should be more strictly limited, if not outright banned so that cross-territorial infections would be avoided,” Eusebio added.
The presenters and discussants during the open forum
The virtual policy forum was the first in a series of policy forums organized by LSIG, in partnership with pro-democracy coalition PARTICIPATE, that will serve as avenues for presenting and discussing policy briefs related to the upcoming 2022 elections.
Ms. Armi Magno from ASOG delivering the closing remarks of the forum
The policy forum organizing team together with the presenters and discussants
At least 300 participants across the country attended the activity, including attendees from government institutions, academe, civil society organizations and media.