ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 has suspended the voter registration in Western Visayas.
This is a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), said Comelec-6 assistant director Tomas Valera.
The Comelec central office ordered the nationwide suspension of voter registration citing the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country (35 as of March 10).
The suspension took effect yesterday. Valera said it will last until March 31.
“We hope the virus will die down in April,” he added.
Valera clarified that only the voter registration has been suspended; the other services of Comelec would continue such as issuing certifications to voters requesting for such.
The voter registration period in all city and municipal election offices started on Jan. 20 this year and was originally scheduled to run until Sept. 30, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays.
As stated in Comelec Resolution No. 10635, the voter registration period covers the following:
* application for registration
* transfer of registration records
* change or correction of entries in the registration record
* reactivation of registration record
* reinstatement of name in the list of voters
Qualified to register are those who will be at least 18 years of age on or before Election Day, May 9, 2022; a resident in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place where he or she intends to vote for at least six months on or before Election Day.
Persons with disabilities, senior citizens as well as members of indigenous peoples or indigenous cultural communities, and other members of vulnerable sectors may also update their Comelec records.
Registered voters as of the May 13, 2019 midterm elections need not re-register./PN
