In a proactive move to enhance voter awareness and transparency ahead of the midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, has initiated a series of educational programs and roadshows. These efforts specifically target students, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), aiming to equip them with the necessary knowledge about the voting process.
Johnna Catilo, the Election Officer III for San Jose de Buenavista, highlighted the significance of these initiatives. She noted that the programs, which include hands-on experience with automated counting machines (ACM), are designed to ensure voters are well-informed and understand the importance of transparency in the electoral process.
On January 10, 2025, a session was held where Myles Apostol, a person with a disability, was among those who tried operating the ACM. This event was part of a broader effort to reach out to various community segments. Catilo reported that around 100 Grade 12 students from Antique National School participated in a similar activity on a Monday morning.
Additionally, on January 17, 93 registered PDL voters attended an orientation session focused on the ACM. Earlier, on January 10, 20 PWDs were also part of the educational outreach. These sessions covered essential aspects of voting, such as how to properly shade ballots and the number of candidates to vote for each position.
Participants were given the opportunity to interact directly with the voting technology, including feeding their official ballots into the machines, thereby gaining practical experience ahead of the May 12 midterm elections.