Research Question: “What is the effect of the Comelec Resolution 9485 on the participation of

PWDs in elections?”

Sub question:

 Why are there still many PWDs who do not vote despite the presence of such law?
 Is this measure enough to achieve the full participation of PWDs in the electoral process?

Objectives:

 To evaluate the effectiveness of Comelec Resolution 9485’s implementation in the 2013

elections
 (After evaluating the implementation) To determine the barriers faced by PWDs towards
electoral participation in the 2013 elections
 To describe how barriers faced by PWDs in 2013 elections influence PWDs’ electoral
participation.
 To determine other barriers that influence PWDs’ electoral participation.
- Assess the effectiveness of Comelec Resolution 9485’s implementation in 2013 elections
by:
o Evaluating its implementation as a whole: Process tracing- Para saan bawat yung
provisions sa resolution at paano ito inimplement last 2013 elections; trace how
are instructions disseminated from Comelec to EOs and BEIs.
o Were each provision in Comelec 9485 properly implemented?
o Interviewing PWD adults who voted (excluded kasi nakaranas ng discrimination
sa voting center) and who were not able to vote (mga naexclude dahil hirap
bumoto). (to know about their experiences when they voted, to know why they
were discouraged to vote or were not able to vote) (Both originally had the
intention to vote).
- After evaluating the implementation, barriers faced by PWDs towards electoral
participation during 2013 elections will be determined.
o Stigma and discrimination against PWDs impose physical barriers to PWD’s
electoral participation and this has a psychological effect on them (they are
disempowered to participate coz they feel helpless, perceive themselves as not
welcome).
- Determine other barriers that influence PWDs’ electoral participation.
o Socioeconomic standing
o Psychological predisposition
- See how barriers (both during the 2013 elections and other barriers) influence PWDs’
electoral participation
o Becker, Stuifbergen, and Tinkle’s analytic model
  environmental factors, such as access to health care and attitudes of
medical professionals, and internal factors, such as a woman's attitudes
toward the health care system and previous medical experiences,
contribute jointly to reproductive health maintenance. These factors are, in
turn, influenced by the woman's disability and are moderated by her
demographic characteristics, such as socioeconomic status
 Environmental factors, such as accessibility of elections and attitudes of
BEIs, and internal factors, such as PWDs attitude towards elections and
previous experiences, contribute jointly to reproductive health
maintenance. These factors are, in turn, influenced by PWD’s socio-
economic standing.

o Schur’s rational actor model

 Decision to vote is a marginal (low cost/ low benefit) action

 Factors that increase or decrease the costs of voting are divided into three
categories:

 resources (time, money, civic skills)

 psychology (political interest, political efficacy, civic values)

 recruitment (formal/informal networks, religious institutions,

political organizations)
 Applied to this research: such as socio-economic standing, psychological
predisposition, and isolation influence electoral participation.
Research Stance

Social Model of Disability

 The social model of disability identifies systemic barriers, negative attitudes and
exclusion by society (purposely or inadvertently) that mean society is the main
contributory factor in disabling people. While physical, sensory, intellectual, or
psychological variations may cause individual functional limitation or impairments, these
do not have to lead to disability unless society fails to take account of and include people
regardless of their individual differences.
 places emphasis on the disabling barriers that prevent disabled people from participating
as equals in society. Disability is defined as ‘all the things that impose restrictions on
disabled people; ranging from individual prejudice to institutional discrimination, from
inaccessible buildings to unusable transport systems, from segregated education to
excluding work arrangements, and so on
 Many participants placed considerable stress on the impact of stigmas around disability
and the stereotypes with which disabled people often have to contend. Both disabled and
non-disabled participants suggested that there is a common fear of disability, which can
make it harder for disabled people to be included as equals in society.

 Instead of just eliminating barriers, the way society is organized should be changed in
order to allow PWDs to fully participate

o just eliminating barriers

 Limited to the full implementation of 9485
 McCoy: addressed only the blatant forms of discrimination, not able to
erase the social inequality imposed on PWDs
 PWDs still not empowered to vote because they are still socially excluded.
o way society is organized should be changed
 If changed, all barriers will be eliminated
 Because this will not just lead to a full implementation of 9485, it will also
empower PWDs to participate