PWDs hit delay of voter’s registration

DUE to the postponement of the voter’s registration for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Northern Mindanao, a group of PWDs in Cagayan de Oro were dismayed over Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) “lack of attention” given to them in exercising their right to participate in the 2013 elections.

Milagros Maquiling, president of the Cagayan de Oro Federation of Persons with Disabilities Association Inc (Cafedpa), said more than 1,500 PWDs in Cagayan de Oro alone are eager and are waiting for the resumption of the scheduled voter’s registration.

Comelec postponed it twice in lieu of the general voter’s registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), which started July 9 and ends on Wednesday.

Lawyer Dolette Cuevas Banzon, Comelec assistant regional director, said the postponement was due to the 10-day Armm voter’s registration.

“The postponement was necessary because of the conduct of general registration in the Armm. However, the Comelec has set a tentative schedule for the PWDs on August 11,” Banzon told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Maquiling said more than 1,500 members of Cafedpa, out of the 3,000 active members, already reached the voting age and have not yet registered in the city.

“There are many children who have already reached legal age to vote but because of the situation, they have difficulty participating in the regular schedule of registration,” she said on Monday during a forum held at the Philippine Information Agency.

Meanwhile, Maquiling said seven months after Tropical Storm ‘Sendong’ hit Northern Mindanao region, an increase of PWDs was noted in Cagayan de Oro, based on the survey conducted by the National Statistics Office.

She said based on the NSO 2010 survey, there is an increase of 400 persons or 15 percent among the population of PWDs.

Cafedpa will be celebrating the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week starting Monday with the theme “Mainstreaming Persons with Disabilities to Economic Development.”