Sen. Miguel Zubiri expressed his worry about the possibility that there could be a low turnout of voters in next year’s national and local elections.
Zubiri expressed his apprehensions to members of the Bohol media yesterday, July 31, 2021 in an informal press briefing at a cafe in Panglao town.
The senator from Bukidnon quoted the results of a Pulse Asia survey asking voters if they will go the polling precincts even if the Coronavirus disease (Covid) threat is still prevailing and the results, according to Zubiri are alarming.
“Nag privilege speech ko sa Senado last Wednesday [July 28, 2021] ug nabalaka ko didto among survey [pinaagi] sa Pulse Asia nigawas didto ang resulta, kay nangutana ko sa survey kon aduna bay Covid-19 sa adlaw sa piniliay, mobotar ba mo o dili? Ang migawas sa survey 46% dili mobotar,” Zubiri revealed.
The senator said that based on the same survey, the percentage of those undecided is at 19%.
This means that 36% of voters who are willing to vote on election day despite the threat of Covid, will decide who will be the country’s next president who will sit in Malacañang until 2028.
“Ang mahitabo ani ang pili-on nato nga presidente hangtud sa kagawad o konsehal sa lungsod, dili mayorya sa katawhan,” Zubiri explained.
For this reason, Zubiri is pushing for people to get vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity and remove the threat of Covid’s impact on voters’ health.
The senator thinks the government could do a better job at distributing the vaccines equally especially to the provinces.
He also floated the idea of passing legislation to conduct the elections in two days instead of just one, so that health and safety protocol will be properly observed.
However, he nixed the idea of conducting the polls through the mail or online as it may only result to anomalies and further jeopardize the election process.
Meanwhile, Zubiri revealed his plans to run for re-election in next year’s polls.
He is an independent candidate and is open to alliances with different political parties.