Comelec urges public to join nationwide voter registration

FILE: A female registrant reviews the form she filled up for the voter registration for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election inside a mall in Manila on Monday (Dec. 12, 2022). Voter registration, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, at the Office of the Election Officer of the city, municipality, or district where the applicant resides, will end on Jan. 21, 2023. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is encouraging the public, especially new and first-time voters, to take part in the nationwide voter registration that began on Friday.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia reported a strong turnout at the offices of election officers, satellite registration sites across the country, and the Special Register Anywhere/Anytime Program (SRAP) sites in Metro Manila, despite the registration kickoff falling on a weekday.

“This favorable outcome during the first day of voter registration is a clear testament of the Filipino people’s willingness to exercise their right of suffrage come next elections and actively participate in the democratic process,” he said in a press statement.

Garcia said they expect to gather at least one million new registrants during the 10-day registration period, including about 500,000 youth voters aged 15 to 17, many of whom are registering for the first time.

The voter registration is for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for Dec. 1, 2025. The registration runs until Aug. 10, while SRAP services in the National Capital Region are available until Aug. 7.

Garcia also invited the public, especially those visiting Intramuros, to register at the Comelec main office.

A SRAP is being held at the Chairman’s Hall, Ground Floor of the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Aug. 7.

“We invite the public to take advantage of the SRAP services, while enjoying the sights of historic Intramuros,” Garcia added.