COMELEC extends voter registration until the end of October
Niele Alizier G. Rosani | News Editor | 10 — St. Therese of Lisieux |
COMELEC has recently approved the extension of voter registration until October 30 for the 2022 national elections, confirms Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez on Wednesday, September 29.
“Extension is from October 11 to 30; Monday-Friday, no Saturdays, except for the last day (October 30), 8 am to 5 pm. All registration services offered,”
said Jimenez.
Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas has said the poll body will continue accepting applicants after the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC).
Abas added that they will not accept voter registrants during the filing of COCs on October 1 to 8 as the poll body will be busy accepting COC of various candidates all over the country.
Registration for overseas workers, meanwhile, will extend from October 1 until 14 as the filing of COCs will not hinder Comelec abroad.
COMELEC en banc, who previously rejected calls for an extension due to a domino effect that could affect preparations for the 2022 polls, came up with the last-minute decider as pressure mounted from both houses of congress after the swift passage of bills extending the registration to October 31. The Senate also unanimously adopted a resolution earlier urging the electoral body to heed calls for an extension.
Legislators, NGOs, and high-ranking officials like Vice President Leni Robredo have urged the poll body to ramp up the registration period as the implementation of hard lockdowns has caused the repeated suspension of voter registration, which could lead to millions of disenfranchised Filipinos.
Local Comelec offices have experienced an influx of voter applicants in the last week ever since Comelec has allowed voter registration to operate in MECQ areas, with some lining up outside of registration sites long before operating hours.
COMELEC has stated they have registered 62 million Filipinos for 2022, way above their projected 59 million voters. The projected voting population by the Philippine Statistics Authority, however, shows 73.3 million eligible voters.
The 2022 national election is set to be one of the most pivotal elections in Philippine history as the nation moves to open its polls while it grapples with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
