The Joint Task Force COVID Shield is discouraging minors and senior citizens from going out to register at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), saying the threat of coronavirus infection is still high.

JTVF COVID Shield commander Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar advised minors and senior citizens to delay the registration and wait until the cases of COVID-19 decrease amid the projection of the experts that the Philippines would flatten the curve starting the end of this month.
“The voter registration is still until September 2021 so there is still plenty of time to wait for the threat of the coronavirus to lessen. So we appeal to our minors and senior citizens to delay their registration for their own safety,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar’s statement is in consonance with the appeal of the mayors of Metro Manila to delay the registration to January 2021 as the mass gathering that would be spawned by the voter registration may result in another surge of COVID-19 cases.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said that the concern of Metro Manila mayors was aired to the National Task Force on COVID 19 of which he is the vice chairman.
“Metro Manila mayors are requesting the Comelec to move the registration to January because this would be a form of mass gathering and they do not want to have a surge of COVID-19 cases especially now that there are indications that the curve is already starting to flatten,” said Año.
Comelec started the voter registration on Sept. 1 but in areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified GCQ. Most of the areas in the areas are under the MGCQ while Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Batangas are under GCQ.
Eleazar said he has coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Police Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan and order local police commanders to help secure the voter registration in their respective areas.
Eleazar said the move is to ensure that the quarantine protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields are observed during the registration period.
“Police personnel should be always present in the areas where voter registration is held not only to maintain peace and order but also to make sure that the minimum health safety standard protocols are observed strictly,” said Eleazar.
“Securing the voter registration should be until the last days of the schedule since we all know that people usually flock to the Comelec offices to register a few days leading to the deadline,” he added.