ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is encouraging residents of the city and province of Iloilo who are at least 18 years old on or before May 12, 2025, to grab the chance to register and exercise their right to vote in the upcoming national and local elections.
Comelec-Iloilo will conduct the 2024 Voter Education and Registration Fair at the Cultural Center of West Visayas State University (WVSU) in La Paz district today, under the initiative of Atty. Reinier Layson, Provincial Election Supervisor IV of Comelec-Iloilo and concurrent acting election officer of Comelec-Iloilo City, in partnership with WVSU president Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz.
The endeavor aims to give a chance to all residents of the city and province of Iloilo who study or work in this city to register without having to return to their hometowns, as city and municipal election officers themselves will be at the venue to accept applications.
“Ang aton Comelec sa tagsa ka mga banwa makadto didto kag ang estudyante nga taga-banwa pero diri sa city naga-eskwela, puede kakadto didto sa WVSU kag magpa-register,” explained Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of Comelec-Iloilo City.
Comelec will also accept applications for transfer of residence, reactivation, correction of entry, and change of status, among others.
Those who wish to register may bring any valid government-issued identification card (original and photocopy) that bears the applicant’s photograph and signature.
Comelec emphasized that company-issued IDs are no longer accepted.
It would be more helpful if the applicant brought a registration form and filled it out to make the process more efficient.
The form is available on the Comelec website: https://comelec.gov.ph
Who May Register?
Any Filipino citizen who is not yet a registered voter may apply for registration, provided he or she possesses the following qualifications:
* At least 18 years old on the day of the National and Local Elections
* A resident of the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein he or she proposes to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the national and local elections.
* Not otherwise disqualified by law
Last week, Layson met with Villaruz, WVSU University Student Council chairperson Hanna Chelsea Binarao, and MORE Electric and Power Corporation representatives to ensure that the activity would run smoothly.
Also, they conducted ocular inspections of the WVSU Cultural Center, and the College of Medicine covered court, which is being eyed to host the voter registration segment of the same activity.
The 2024 Voter Education and Registration Fair is part of Comelec’s campaign to enjoin eligible voters for the general elections next year.
Voters’ registration kicked off on Feb. 12 and will run until Sept. 30, from Monday to Saturday, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no noon break, except holidays on Lent Season (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday)./PN
