ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Western Visayas urges those who haven’t registered yet to do so to be able to vote in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in October this year.
Assistant regional director and concurrent Antique provincial election supervisor, Atty. Tomas Valera, said the last day for voters’ registration is tomorrow, Jan. 31, with no extension.
“Nagpagwa sang directive ang amon main office nga wala sang extension, ma-end na sa Jan. 31 ang voters’ registration,” Valera told Panay News yesterday.
Those who want to register may visit their respective city or municipal election offices or satellite offices in malls.
City and municipal election offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Valera advised people to avoid last-minute registrations.
Since there are offices and classes on the last day of registration, he anticipates a low turnout.
The voters’ registration for barangay and SK elections started on Dec. 12, 2022, from Monday to Saturday, except Sundays.
Valera said those interested in registering should bring any valid government-issued identification card (ID) and birth certificate, and school ID for students aged 15 years old and above but without a government-issued ID.
He also encouraged registrants to bring their ballpen to avoid the possible spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
For the barangay elections, prospective registrants must be at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the election and must have been a resident of the Philippines for at least one year and for at least six months where he/she proposes to vote.
Individuals allowed to register for the SK elections must be at least 15 years old and have lived in the barangay for at least six months before the election.
According to Republic Act No. 10742, or the SK Reform Act of 2015, SK voters shall be aged 15 to 30 years old, while candidates are between 18 and 24 years old.
Aside from voter registration, all city and municipal election offices are accepting applications for transfer, change, or correction of records; reactivation of registration records; and inclusion and reinstatement of names on the voters’ list for deactivated or delisted individuals.
Applications for the transfer of records from overseas to local voting, including applications for an update of records of persons with special needs, elderlies, members of indigenous peoples, and vulnerable sectors, will also be accepted./PN
