Comelec to hold satellite voter registration for women in NCR, other cities Wednesday

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged females who are qualified as regular and youth voters to go out and register at the different special satellite voter registration in cities in Metro Manila as well as in 22 others areas in the country on Wednesday, in observance of the International Women’s Day. (Photo: Ramon FVelasquez/Wikipedia)

MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged females who are qualified as regular and youth voters to go out and register at the different special satellite voter registration in cities in Metro Manila as well as in 22 others areas in the country on Wednesday, in observance of the International Women’s Day.

Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, who is the head of the poll body’s Gender and Development (GAD) Committee called on women and girls to have themselves register to be able to vote in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in October.

“We hope that many more women and girls register as voters and will participate in elections as candidates and supporters,” she said.

All 16 cities and one municipality in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be holding their respective special satellite voter registration for women on March 8.

Likewise, other cities in the country that will be holding special satellite voter registration for qualified female voters are: Cotabato, Baguio, Butuan, Dagupan, Santiago, Angeles, Olongapo, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, Naga, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu Lapu, Tacloban, Ormoc, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Davao, and General Santos.

For regular elections, those who are qualified to register must be 18 years old and above while and those aged 15 to 17 years old are allowed to register for the youth elections.

Other qualifications include: they should be citizens of the Philippines; resides in the Philippines for at least one year; resides in the place they intend to vote for at least six months; and are not disqualified by law.

Meanwhile, express lanes shall be afforded to persons with disability (PWDs), senior citizens, pregnant women, and indigenous people (IPs) that are women and girls.

While application for voter registration of qualified males can still be accepted in these areas, the poll body noted that they will give priority to women applicants.

There is an ongoing voter registration nationwide, which will run until April 29.