On April 11 and 12, LENTE organized the first and second virtual training for organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and civil society organizations (CSOs). LENTE aimed to increase participants’ awareness and knowledge of the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025 and COMELEC resolutions on the campaign and election day conduct. Sixteen participants from 10 different organizations joined the first training. Half of the participants were women with an auditory disability or a physical disability. A total of 36 participants from around 18 different organizations joined the second training with 11 men and 25 women. Participants included representatives from persons who identify as having visual, physical, and intellectual disabilities. Though both trainings used the same module and presentation materials, the discussion topics differed. The first topic of the session introduced the Enabling Masterplan and discussed key action points related to election engagement, particularly APSC 1, APSC 2, APSC 4, APSC 5, APSC 7.3, ASCC 15, and ASCC 17. The next topic discussed COMELEC Resolution No. 10730 exploring the definition of a campaign and the enumeration of different activities that constitute a campaign. The last topic discussed was election day conduct and information, especially the different types of polling places that disabled voters can utilize. During the open forum at the end of the session, participants led the discussion by raising topics they wanted to further explore. In the first training, participants discussed rules on the size of campaign posters and how bed-ridden voters cannot vote since voters are required to physically be present at voting centers to cast their votes. Meanwhile, participants from the second training discussed the vaccine requirement for voters and whether or not they can physically access the polling site if they have not been vaccinated.

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