Commission on Election (Comelec) chairman George Garcia on Monday, Oct. 30 apologized for the “confusion” in the early voting for members of vulnerable sectors in the Barangay and Sangguniang Barangay Elections (BSKE).

In an interview with reporters, Garcia said the early voting, which ran from 5AM to 7 AM, was carried out in Muntinlupa City and Naga City only.

COMELEC Chair Garcia, humingi ng ‘pasensya’ sa mga nalitong PWD, senior citizen, at buntis na inakalang ipinatutupad sa buong bansa ang ‘early voting’ ngayong Barangay at SK Elections | @dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/AqqlF5QOqY

— Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) October 30, 2023

“Again, inuulit natin, ayun po ay inilaan lang natin para sa mga senior citizens, PWD [persons with disabilities] and heavily pregnant women ng Naga City at Muntinlupa. Pasensya na po doon sa hindi nabigyan ng ganong impormasyon,” he said.

The Comelec chairman, however, said that there were enough reminders for the early voting.

Garcia noted that early voting may soon be implemented nationwide in the next polls.

“Huwag kayong magaalala, next election, yung batas na early voting para sa inyo ay buong Pilipinas na natin gagawin, iyang early voting hours na iyan para sa inyong lahat,” he said.

In a report by RH Pamela Adriano, some senior citizens came early to their respective polling precincts in Tondo, Manila, hoping that they could cast their votes.

Ilang senior citizens sa isang voting precinct sa Tondo, inakalang may early voting hours para sa PWD, senior citizen, at buntis | Pamela Adriano, DZRH News#SamaSamaTayoPilipino

WATCH: https://t.co/ZnoK9f6cMw pic.twitter.com/XQc5hYJPV6

— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) October 29, 2023

Comelec earlier said that the early voting for the vulnerable sector aims to give convenience to them “so that they can no longer keep up with the majority of our countrymen in voting.”