Believing that youth vote can influence the country’s political landscape, the Department of Education (DepEd) led the nationwide youth voter registration campaign for the May 2022 polls.
Dubbed as “Pulse of the Youth: National Voter Registration Campaign for the 2022 Elections”, the initiative seeks to provide information to young Filipino voters on how to register for the upcoming elections.
“It is important that we hear the voice of our youth, nurture and develop their critical thinking about national affairs, and remind and teach them to practice their right to suffrage,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said in a statement on Monday, July 26.
The campaign is initiated by the Bureau of Learner Support Service-Youth Formation Division (BLSS-YFD), in cooperation with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pascua cited the crucial role of the youth in shaping the country’s future by exercising their right to suffrage.
“Statistics shows that in the arena of Philippine election the youth vote is a force to be reckoned with. It has taken a considerable percentage in the last two elections that greatly influence the country’s political landscape,” he said.
“Voting gives voice to young people,” he added.
Government records showed that 40 million Filipinos ages 18 to 35 are eligible to vote in 2022.
It has been noted Filipino youth composed 37 percent of the entire electorate. During the 2019 polls, 19.6 million young Filipinos voted.
Comelec urged the registrants to obtain registration forms through the https://irehistro.comelec.gov.ph/cef1, https://comelec.gov.ph/, through Mobile Registration Form App, and by walking-in to Comelec offices in their respective areas of residence.
As of May 6, around 2.8 million first-time voters have already registered for the 2022 elections.
The Comelec voter registration for 2022 elections will end on Sept. 30, 2021.