Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez said Saturday, Sept. 11, that malls are ideal places for voter registration.
"Malls are places where people congregate and I think it's very important that we tap into that energy. People are here and people want to register, it's a perfect match," Jimenez said in a press conference during the National Synchronized Mall Voter Registration Day.
"Malls are ideal places for voter registration because they are spacious, there's a wide area available for voter registration and wide area make it easier to maintain social distancing," he added.
Jimenez noted that malls also have the resources Comelec offices "do not have," such as marshals walking around to remind people to maintain social distance.
The poll body first tapped malls as registration sites in the 2016 elections.
"It's proven to be such a successful model that we hope to continue doing it in the future," Jimenez said.
On Saturday, Comelec held a national synchronized mall registration, 19 days before the Sept. 30 voter registration deadline in an apparent bid to accommodate more voter applicants.
Select malls that Comelec partnered with are Robinsons Malls, Ayala Malls, and SM Supermalls.