Rome, Italy map
MANILA, Philippines — Noting the dangers of voting outdoors, a Filipina in Rome raised concerns about the lack of a safer venue for overseas Filipinos in Italy’s capital city to cast their votes for the 2022 polls.
According to Daisy Villanueva Solomon, registered Filipino voters in Rome have to leave the Philippine Embassy building, cross the street, and then go to a sidewalk just to fill up the ballots.
“Ang concern po namin dito ay ang mga bumoboto ay walang silang place, wala kaming place para fill-up-an ‘yung aming mga balota para bumoto,” Solomon said in a video presented Monday during a press briefing of a PDP-Laban faction.
“Pagkakuha po nila ng mga ballots nila, lumalabas po sila, tumatawid po sila sa daan at doon po sila nagsusulat ng kanilang mga iboboto. So hindi po ‘yan nangyayari sa loob ng Philippine Embassy,” she added.
At the PDP-Laban Cusi faction's press briefing, Daisy Villanueva Solomon raises concern over lack of venue for overseas absentee voters in Italy. Comelec says they will coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Rome to clarify the issue. Video from: Daisy Solomon @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/iWBCiHgByJ
— Neil Arwin Mercado (@NAMercadoINQ) April 11, 2022
Solomon said the area where overseas voters cast their votes poses a danger as vehicles pass by.
“Napakaganda po ng Philippine Embassy namin dito. Malaki, meron siyang place, meron siyang bakuran na malaki. Ang hindi namin maintindihan, bakit wala kaming place? Table man lang, kahit wala pong upuan. Table man lang para sulatan namin ang aming mga ballots,” she said.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Marlon Casquejo said they will coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Rome to clarify the issue.
“Maybe some issues regarding this one but we really have to talk to them kung ano talaga ang nangyari doon (what really happened there) and then maybe we can advise them that the shading of the ballots should be done in a secure place not outside, just even in the sidewalk or whatever,” Casquejo said.
“So tatawagan po namin si Rome regarding this one,” he added.
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