By Leslie Ann Aquino
Those planning to register as voters should do it personally as the Commission on Elections said "proxies" are not allowed.
Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez
(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Ang requirement ng batas is for the individual to 'personally register,'" Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in an interview.
"This is to ensure that each voter on the list corresponds to an actual person, and to give the election office the opportunity to verify the applicant's eligibility," he added.
To register, the Comelec said a qualified applicant needs to personally appear at the Office of the Election Officer, the local Comelec office.
The applicant's identity and residence will then be verified as well as the status of his or her registration using a computer application at the OEO.
After a successful verification, the applicant shall be given three copies of the application forms to fill up and this should be signed and be thumbmarked before the EO.
The applicant's biometrics will then be digitally captured using the Voter Registration Machine by an authorized VRM operator.
An acknowledgment receipt will be given to the applicant after the process.
However, the filing of an application form does not make an applicant a registered voter as this will still be approved by the Election Registration Board.
The poll body earlier announced that the voter registration will run from August 1 to September 30, 2019, inclusive of Saturdays and holidays.
The last voter registration period was held from July 2, 2018 to September 29, 2018, before it was suspended again to give way to the May 2019 midterm polls.
The Barangay and SK elections is scheduled to be held on the second Monday of May 2020.