Waking at dawn to vote because we believe in democracy

I only wake at dawn for early morning flights or road trips.

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But on May 12, I got up at five to vote. I had hoped that the allotted voting time for senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) from five to seven in the morning would offer a more relaxed experience.

Iwas wrong.

Even before I arrived, thousands were already in line—mostly senior citizens, some pregnant women, and a number of PWDs. Most were ambulant and cheerful; a few were in wheelchairs, while others clung to family members for support. Beside them, two or three other long queues had formed—young voters waiting for the official opening of the polling center at 7 a.m.

They were all literally raring to vote. The more able-bodied moved from line to information desk and back, trying to verify their precinct clusters. In some cases, multiple precincts had been assigned to a single voting area, making the process even more confusing.

I live in what is reportedly one of the barangays with the largest voter populations, so the polling place—a large gymnasium converted into multiple precincts—was overflowing. Yet it was filled with people who had good intentions.