Comelec plans to hold voter’s registration this month for the Barangay and SK polls

(File photo: Avito C.Dalan / PNA)

MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is planning to conduct the registration of voters this month for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls this year.

Comelec Commissioner Luie Guia said the plan is to hold it in the second half of July, three months before the October elections.

“Application for registration will be from July 15 to 31,” he said in an interview.

Guia said that they cannot prolong the registration period because of the proximity of the village and youth polls.

In the 2013 polls, the voter’s registration was held from July 22 to 31, where more than two million individuals registering for the Barangay polls, and over 3.1 million youths that looked to vote for the SK elections.

Under the law, Barangay and SK elections shall be held on the last Monday of October, which falls on Oct. 31, this year.

On the other hand, Guia said that for those with opposition to registrations, they have 15 days to file their protest.

“August 1 to 15 will be the period to accept opposition to applications and the hearings,” he said.

Earlier, Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista suggested to postpone the next Barangay and SK polls, citing the possibility of Filipinos developing “election fatigue” as the main reason.