QUEZON CITY (PIA) — Senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will soon have a more accessible voting experience, thanks to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) on March 10, 2025 at the Chairman’s Hall, Palacio Del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.
“Under this agreement, the DSWD, in partnership with the Comelec and NCDA, will elevate the voting experience of the vulnerable sectors through collaboration in promoting inclusivity, ensuring easy access to voting, engaging in data sharing, and conducting information campaigns,” said Assistant Secretary Elaine Fallarcuna, reading DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s message.
A data-sharing agreement is a key component of the MOA ensuring the safety of personal information for both senior citizens and PWDs.
The partnership will also focus on:
- Actively monitoring the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) and future polling activities to ensure accessible voting locations and procedures.
- Comelec will set up voter registration booths nationwide during social pension payouts, delivering on-site, accessible registration updates making it easier for them to stay active voters.
- The NCDA will share comprehensive nationwide data on PWDs with Comelec’s Vulnerable Sectors Office (VSO). This data will provide Election Officers (EOs) with important baseline information for proactively addressing the registration needs of PWDs and planning for accessible polling locations.
- The partners will conduct targeted information campaigns to educate PWDs about their voting rights and the resources available to them.
Fallarcuna, on behalf of Secretary Gatchalian, thanked Comelec and NCDA for their commitment to expanding voter participation among vulnerable sectors while also safeguarding their rights and information. (GLDG/PIA-NCR)
