Voter registration in some Batangas, Cavite areas resumes Feb. 3

FILE: Comelec spokesperson Director James Jimenez during the Broadcasters’ Forum held at Roland’s Farm to Table Restaurant along Visayas Ave., Quezon City on Wednesday (April 24, 2019). (PNA photo by Ben Briones)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday announced that the voter registration will resume in some areas in Batangas and Cavite on February 3.

In an advisory, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the voter registration which was earlier suspended due to Taal Volcano’s eruption will start next week as working conditions in these areas have normalized.

These include the towns of Alitagtag, Balete, Balayan, Calaca, Calatagan, Cuenca, Laurel, Lemery, Lian, Mabini, Malvar, San Luis, San Nicolas, Sta. Teresita, Taal, Talisay, Tuy, and the cities of Lipa and Tanauan in Batangas.

Meanwhile, qualified voters in the towns of Alfonso, Amadeo, Indang, Silang and Tagaytay City can also file their applications next week.

Voter registration in the town of Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas will resume a week after.

“In the municipality of Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas, #VoterReg2020 will resume on February 10, 2020,” Jimenez added.

Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 which means sudden steam-driven and weak phreatomagmatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall, and lethal volcanic gas expulsions may still occur in areas within the volcano’s island and nearby lake shores.

With the lowering of the volcano’s alert status, some residents have been allowed to go back to their homes, except those residing in six barangays in Agoncillo and Laurel towns as these are still within the volcano’s seven-kilometer danger zone.

During the registration period which will run until Sept. 30, 2021, applications for registration, transfer of registration records, change/correction of entries in the registration record, reactivation of registration record, and reinstatement of the name in the list of voters will be accepted.

The poll body advised the public that applications and updating of records should be done personally at the Office of the Election Officer of the city or municipality where the applicant resides, Mondays to Saturdays including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Registrants must be at least 18 years of age on or before Election Day, or on May 9, 2022, must be a resident in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where the applicant intends to vote for at least six months on or before Election Day.