Me and my son just got done voting today. Last time I voted here in the Philippines that was over 23 years ago.
That really was during my college days. I was a registered voter in Cebu City before, that’s were I first experienced my right to vote.
I remember the long line that we waited on that. But we were so patient because we were just so excited to vote. My cousin went with me at that time there.
Trouble Voting?
So today I really thought we could never vote. I got mine and the kids dual citizenship early last year. That same year me and Chris went to register to vote at the Comelec office, that was last October 2012. The people at the registration office told me to wait like about 3 months before our names be on the registration list on the web.
At the Polling Place
So like around end of January this year I started checking my name and my son’s name on the Comelec website (precincts finder). On the Comelec site it says there that we are not yet registered. So I just waited a few more weeks and try again, same thing happened. Trying a few more times I finally just gave up until last night I checked the site before I went to bed. Same thing happened again. So in the morning I decided not to go vote because I just don’t want to be in the hot sun fighting out with other people looking for my name. My niece told me that it might be like what she experience last time, names not on the web but her name was on the precincts where she’s supposed to vote. So before mid-day today I finally decided to go with Chris for him to experience voting in the Philippines for the first time. I’m glad we did.
Our Voting Experience
Here is the proof – we voted
When we got to the school that we thought we are going to vote, we immediately went to the board were all the precincts number were posted. Our number was not on the list. Luckily lots of volunteers – young people – were really good and were ready to help out there. They told us where to go. I guess our precincts were on the other side of the campus on the high school side. So we have to walk just a few hundred steps to be there. Finally we found the building it’s in the high school gym, it’s actually on the side of the building. Viola we found our name. So my niece immediately got a small paper from the volunteer person there, we have to write down our name and the voter’s number to be given to the person inside the voting place. After writing everything we were then ushered to our precincts room and starting to fall in line. When I saw the classroom I almost freak out it was full of people. Wow, have to wait for a long time. But thankfully we still had some chairs to sit down while other places they have to stand in line. So I just waited quietly there for our turn.
When the volunteer there found Chris had some disability we were ushered to the faster lane to vote. We then belong to the senior citizen, pregnant women or people with children. Wow it was quicker than I expected. Just within minutes after sitting down to that lane we were voting in no time. I had to help Chris out on his voting. I know some people that he wants to vote for. So it was easy and quick.
While voting, well really all throughout the election campaign I was thinking the Philippines should have 3-4 Senators in every island. Right now all the candidates were from Manila, only 2 were from Mindanao not sure how many were from the Visayas. Looks like it might only 1 Mindanaoan can make it to the senate. Hoping for more though.
Well, I’m glad election is over in this part of the world. It’s time for the winners to start working. Time also for the candidates winners and losers to clean up the signs posted everywhere.
The start of the new beginning again in the Philippines.
Congratulations to the winners old and new of the election 2013. To our readers, one of them could be your family. So Congratulations to you all!
MABUHAY PHILIPPINES!!!