Pinoys make most of poll holiday

Voters took advantage of Monday’s election holiday to cast their ballots early and spend the rest of the day unwinding.

In Quezon City, crowds swelled by midday at a popular mall along EDSA, just steps away from polling centers at San Francisco High School and Quezon City High School.

Many brought their children and pets to cool off after voting in the morning heat.

The mall’s Skydome also served as a clustered precinct for seven voting centers. Commission on Elections personnel said printed voter lists with photos helped voters quickly locate their designated rooms.

Most voters completed the process — from entering their precincts to feeding their ballots into the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) — in about 15 to 20 minutes. The final step, as always, was the application of indelible ink on the index finger.

Some machines experienced minor glitches, such as ballot rejection and feeding errors, briefly delaying the process for some.

Despite the hiccups, many voters spent the rest of their day shopping, dining out, or strolling with family, turning the poll holiday into a mix of civic duty and leisure.