SEVERAL voters who availed of the early voting hours had mixed experiences with the new initiative implemented by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the May 2025 elections.
At Basak Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City, Leonardo Gelicame, a 53-year-old resident of Barangay Basak, found the process, which allowed senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pregnant women to vote as early as 5 a.m., convenient.
He voted with his son, Val Leonardo Gelicame, a first-time voter.
Gelicame said numerous assistants helped him and his son, who is a PWD navigate the crowd.
In Robinsons Galleria, which was used as a polling center for this election, a couple found their voting experience fast and easy.
The husband, a PWD, availed of the early voting hours and found it very convenient.
They were among the more than 2,000 registered voters in Barangay Parian who voted inside a mall.
In Central Visayas, mall voting occurred only in Cebu at Robinsons Galleria and SM Consolacion.
In Mandaue City, Annesita Seroy, 74, experienced a longer voting process compared to the recent barangay elections.
She arrived at the polling center at 5 a.m. and voted around 6 a.m.
Seroy said voters were asked to present their cluster number and ID, before their names were located on a list. This made the process slower, she said.
Another senior citizen, who spoke on condition of anonymity echoed Seroy’s sentiment.
For her, the lines were long, and the procedure took more time. / DPC, CDF, CAV