A PARTY-LIST group that represents workers in various sectors backed calls to proclaim May 9, election day, as a regular holiday to avoid disenfranchisement among employees who may not be allowed to take a leave or who could not afford to miss a day’s wage.
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Industry Employees Network had said that some workers’ leave applications for May 9 were denied by employers.
“This is what we are referring to as their economic situation is in conflict with their democratic right to vote,” Anakpawis National Vice President Lana Linaban said in Filipino in a statement.
“Worst of all, (President Rodrigo R.) Duterte himself has not yet issued a proclamation to make May 9 a holiday, so it seems that BPO workers are chained to their jobs.”
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) last week asked Mr. Duterte to declare May 9 as a special non-working holiday to ensure full participation in this year’s national and local elections.
“Our call is to proclaim it as a paid or regular holiday so that workers do not regret the lost wages, and they will be free to vote,” Ms. Linaban said.
“We also urge employers to allow their workers’ leave applications so that they can exercise their democratic rights to vote,” she added.
In 2016, then President Benigno “Noynoy” C. Aquino III declared election day a special public non-working holiday.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE
Meanwhile, Comelec has tapped the Philippines’ official organization of lawyers and an election watchdog to provide free legal assistance and for monitoring during the May 9 elections.
Comelec signed a deal on Thursday with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for free legal services to voters and members of the electoral board, and with the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) for election day monitoring.
“Their objective is to educate the public about the common election offenses, monitor the general conduct of the elections, and provide legal assistance to the public and the electoral board members who encounter problems or irregularities during and after election day,” Comelec said in a statement.
Also on Thursday, election watchdog Kontra Daya urged the election body to investigate a barangay captain in Samar who prevented the entry of a presidential candidate’s poll watcher trainers for an activity in the community.
Videos and photos of the local official using aggressive language to drive away the volunteers of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo went viral on social media.
“This is unacceptable behavior as local officials should not have authoritarian tendencies,” the election watchdog said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan and John Victor D. Ordoñez