Comelec accredits 86 shopping centers nationwide 
 
Cebu City, Cebu — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allowed 86 malls in the country to serve as voting precincts for the May 9, 2016 elections.
 
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista said in an interview Saturday night that the poll body has approved the conduct of elections in malls nationwide ater a series of public hearings and consultations in 120 towns.
 
At least 200,000 voters can be accommodated in these mall precincts.
 
“There will be 86 malls, I think that would be participating in the mall voting,” Bautista said.
 
”It’s a go,” the poll chief assured.
 
Person with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens would be accommodated in special lanes instead of in a separate polling precinct.
 
Mall chains that have offered their places as voting areas include SM Supermalls, Ayala Malls, Robinsons Malls, Gaisano Grand Malls, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Pacific Malls/Metro Gaisano, WalterMart Community Malls, and Fisher Mall.
 
Comelec has not included malls owned or connected to candidates running in the upcoming elections.
 
The poll body earlier considered holding mall voting to decongest public schools serving as polling areas as they provide a cleaner, safer and more convenient venue compared to public schools.