The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at the possibility of adopting a "no personal appearance" for voter registrants with passports.
"COMELEC is studying a project that I proposed: no personal appearance for voter registrants with passports, (only) online," Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said in her Twitter account @commrguanzon.
"If partnership with DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) is possible, verification of identity can be done using biometrics data of DFA," she added.
In a separate interview, the poll official said since online method of registration needs no personal appearance, it will "encourage Filipinos all over the world and within the country, who have passports to register."
Guanzon believes such method is not only timely but also necessary in view of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Voter registration for the May, 2022 polls already resumed last September 1 except in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ.
The poll body said voter registration will automatically resume in areas under ECQ or MECQ once the quarantine status is either downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), or if quarantine is lifted entirely.
It added that voter registration in areas not currently under quarantine, or which are under MGCQ or GCQ, shall automatically be suspended upon the upgrading of their quarantine status to MECQ or ECQ.
According to the Comelec, applications for registration may be submitted from Tuesday to Saturday, 8 A.M. to 3 P.M., at the Office of the Election Officer.