COMELEC gets ready

by Sarah Asis As the Commission on Elections resumes transactions with the public on June 15, all concerned offices and departments have been directed to be “COVID-19 ready” COMELEC Resolution No. 10672 enumerated the protocols in the resumption of processing and releasing of voter’s certification which institutionalize the new normal, together with minimum public health standards as prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH). In all Offices of the Election Officer (OEOs) located in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or Modified GCQ (MGCQ) or with no community quarantine in place, or in the Main Office-National Central File Division in Intramuros, Manila, the following facilities or practices must be in place: glass windows or plastic sheet barriers and hand sanitation stations; daily disinfection of all office furniture and equipment; and posting of clear and visible signs about the wearing of face mask/shield, regular hand washing, physical distancing, and other preventive health measures. EOs and Acting EOs must post notices in their bulletin boards about the “No Face Mask/Shield, No Transaction” policy, informing the transacting public that wearing their face mask/shield at all times is mandatory. To enforce physical distancing, strictly one requesting party at a time will be served, and all transactions will be done through plastic sheet barriers or glass windows. Waiting areas must be equipped with chairs or floor markings spaced one-meter apart for purposes of queueing. OEOs must also ensure that health and safety protocols relating to the conduct of government transactions, which are issued by their respective Local Government Units (LGUs), providing them office spaces, are followed. In the case of Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability (PWDs) and others needing assistance, the assistors will be required to observe the protocol of wearing face mask/shield and proper hygiene, as well as the authorized persons requesting on their behalf. To address the volume of people availing of the services of COMELEC, “COVID-19 ready” Public Assistance Desks may be set up within the premises of the office/building for purposes of receiving and releasing of documents. Finally, EOs may devise and adopt their own schemes pertaining to the queueing of the transacting public. SARAH ASIS