BAGUIO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cordillera strongly urges all government officials and employees, and members of the media who would not be able to vote in the actual May 9, 2022 polls to file their applications for local absentee voting (LAV).
DILG Cordillera Regional Director Araceli San Jose stated that DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, in a directive, urged all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and the Department’s attached agencies to support and ensure the effective implementation of the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) LAV system, and other initiatives.
“We encourage all of our officials and employees assigned outside their jurisdictions to exercise their right to vote via LAV on any day from April 27 to 29, 2022, beginning at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” she stated.
She explained that LAV may be used by government officials and employees, including Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel and the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as media practitioners including their technical and support staff (media voters), who are duly registered voters.
Government employees, on the other hand, may submit their application forms to their heads of offices/supervisors/commanders/officers next-in-rank.
RD San Jose also said that under LAV, voters are allowed to vote for national positions; such as president, vice president, senators and party-list Representatives, in places where they are not registered voters but where they are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on election day, or in case of media, those who will not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the elections.
Adding, “Government officials and employees who will be posted abroad to perform election duties on election day may also avail of the said system.”
The LAV will use manual voting, counting, and canvassing system. LAV is a voting system in which any person who, due to public functions and duties, is not in his/her place of registration on election day may vote in the city/municipality where he/she is assigned on election day if he/she is a duly registered voter.
Meanwhile, according to COMELEC Resolution No. 10725, individuals who like to be part of the LAV must file their duly accomplished forms (LAV Form 1 and LAV Form 2) not later than March 7, 2022.
By PMTG
