ILOILO City – Heads up for those who have yet to register for the upcoming May 2022 elections: Voters’ registration in this city and the provinces of Iloilo and Aklan will resume on Monday, Sept. 6.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc approved the holding of voters’ registration in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez announced.
In Western Visayas, areas currently under MECQ are this city and the provinces of Iloilo and Aklan.
The rest of Region 6 – Capiz province including Roxas City, Antique, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City – will continue their voters’ registration as their quarantine classification is lower.
“We have been ready,” said Atty. Tomas Valera, assistant region director of Comelec.
“Mabukas kami from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday,” Valera told Panay News.
Valera is encouraging the public to bring any valid identification card and personal ball pen.
They must also wear facemask and face shield, and ensure that the minimum health protocols are strictly followed.
To avoid congestion in election offices. Valera advised the public not to wait for the voters’ registration deadline on Sept. 30.
It’s better for the public to be at the election offices early, he said.
“We should go to our Comelec offices now kay basi all of sudden ma-announce naman lockdown… so we have a window of three weeks and hopefully wala na sang hard lockdown nga matabo. But that does not depend on us, it depends na ‘ya sa COVID (cases),” Valera said.
Valera also noted that Comelec does not only entertain voters’ registration. They also accommodate applications for transfer of voters’ registration, applications for correction of entry, and applications for re-activation and change of name.
CITY COMELEC PREPS, TOO
The Comelec here is also preparing for Monday’s resumption of voters’ registration, according to Jonathan Sayno, city comelec officer.
In fact, Sayno said, he already convened other city election personnel to discuss what can be done to accommodate as many registrants as possible.
It has been agreed to have satellite registration in malls and schools, Sayno said.
This is one of the city Comelec’s ways to prevent people from flocking to their office at the Iloilo Terminal Market.
The city Comelec will soon announce when satellite registration in malls or schools begins.
Sayno is also advised the public to register beginning Monday and not wait for the deadline./PN
