ILOILO City – “It is typical Filipino behavior to wait until the last day before taking action.”
This was the reaction of Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in this city, following the influx of applicants on the last day of voter registration for the May 2025 national and local elections.
According to Sayno, the number of applicants surged by almost 300% yesterday – the final day of registration held at Festive Walk Mall in Mandurriao district.
This far exceeded the usual number of registrants that the Comelec-Iloilo City typically accommodates — about 200 applicants per day.
“Comparing regular days since February 12, we’ve seen a roughly 300% increase on this last day. On normal days, we usually cater to around 200 applicants, but today we estimate around 1,200 people,” Sayno said.
However, Sayno did not guarantee that all those present at the venue by 5 p.m. would be accommodated.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday, forms had already been distributed, and names were recorded in a logbook to prioritize those present.
Those arriving after 5 p.m. might not have been accommodated, pending Comelec’s capacity.
Sayno estimated that around 100 to 150 individuals at the venue were not given forms or listed in the logbook by that time.
Comelec-Iloilo City deployed nearly 50 personnel to ensure they could accommodate the surge in applicants, as they had anticipated the influx of registrants on the last day.
What happens to those who couldn’t register?
Sayno explained that those who were not accommodated on the final day of registration for the May 2025 elections would have to wait for further announcements from the Comelec Central Office regarding any possible extensions.
“There’s no news of an extension as of now. If none is announced, they will have to wait for the local elections when voter registration resumes,” Sayno said.
Sayno emphasized that ample time had been provided for everyone to register, but due to a common tendency among Filipinos to delay action until the last minute, many flocked to the registration venue on the final day.
He also affirmed that Comelec did its part in raising awareness about voter registration, conducting outreach in barangays and universities, frequently giving media interviews, and posting reminders on social media.
Comelec-Iloilo City expects to record approximately 330,000 to 340,000 registered voters by the close of the voter registration period.
As of June 2024, the Comelec had already listed 319,294 registered voters, with an anticipated 25,000 new registrants between July and September./PN
