3 days before deadline, Comelec reminds public to register

FILE: VOTING PRECINCT. Voters fill up their ballots for the Mid-Term Elections in Precinct No. 109325 at Dela Paz Elementary School, Antipolo City, on Monday (May 13, 2019). Some 61 million Filipinos are expected to participate in this year’s polls. (PNA photo by Rico Borja)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday reminded the public that there are only three days remaining before the ongoing registration of voters ends on Sept. 30, 2019.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez assured that the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) in cities/municipalities are ready to accommodate those who would like to register as voters especially on Monday, the last day of registration.

“Tomorrow is the last Saturday of voter registration while the last day is on a Monday, so an influx of registrants is to be expected,” he said in a statement.

“The Comelec has anticipated this, and we are confident that our employees in the field are prepared to handle the last-day registration scenario,” Jimenez added.

Jimenez said pursuant to Section 6 of Comelec Resolution No. 10549, the following procedures are to be observed on the last day of voter registration:

If there are still applicants lined up to register within the 30-meter radius from the OEO by 3 p.m. of Sept. 30, 2019, their names will be promptly and consecutively listed down.

Each name will be announced repeatedly three times in the order in which the applicants’ names were listed. Applicants who are not present when their names are called shall no longer be allowed to file their application.

When an applicant’s name is called and he/she is present, his/her application will be processed and his/her biometric data will be captured. The process continues until all those listed shall have been processed.

Jimenez also advised members of the vulnerable sectors that there is a special lane provided for them.

“An Express Lane is provided for Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens and Heavily Pregnant Applicants,” Jimenez said.

Applicants are asked to proceed to the OEO in their city or municipality, or any satellite registration center in their locality, where they intend to vote, and present at least one valid ID.

Meanwhile, the Comelec official reported that they have so far received over 2.6 million applications since the registration started last month.

“As of Sept. 21, 2019, the running total of the number of applications processed nationwide stands at 2,645,446,” he added.

The registration period started on Aug. 1, 2019.

It accepts all types of applications such as for registration, transfer, change/corrections of entries, reactivation, inclusion, and reinstatement of names in the list of voters.