The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said postponing the voter’s registration as recommended by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) “might cause problems down the line.”
In an interview with ANC on Thursday, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said there are still about four million people that need to get registered.
“These are the people who recently became eligible to register to vote and that’s a sort of load that we’re trying to carry now,” Jimenez said.
“If you think that it’s difficult to control people now, then it might be more difficult next year when you have that much less time to do the whole thing,” he added.
Jimenez, however, said that the Commission en Banc is studying MMC’s recommendation.
While Comelec has yet to issue a response, Jimenez assured the public that the commission is doing its best to make sure that its offices are safe for the public and its people.
Voter's registration already resumed on Sept. 1.
“Our facilities are strictly maintaining social distancing. We have marshalls outside the waiting areas. We have plastic barriers inside the office and entry into the offices are actually limited to less than half capacity in many cases,” he said.
Registrants are also asked to fill out health declaration forms, according to Jimenez.
“We also scan their temperature so that if their temperature is about 37.8, then we give them advice to seek medical attention,” he added.
Jimenz urged the registrants to “come ready” to Comelec offices by downloading and filling up the voter’s registration form at home.