Comelec official reminds voter registrants to avoid last minute filing

An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged new voter registrants to avoid last minute registration after the poll body decided to reopen the voter registration starting Oct. 11 to 30.

The decision of the Comelec to extend the voter registration was due to public clamor, said Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.

“Kaya nga po nag-extend kami, kahit napakahirap para sa mga tao namin, pero kailangan ninyo kaya sana naman po huwag na silang maghintay ng last minute na naman (That's why we extended it, even though it's very difficult for our personnel, but you need it so I hope they would not wait for the last minute again),” said Guanzon in a radio interview on Friday, October 1.

The number of registered voters in the country is already at 62 million, said Guanzon.

“May seven million pa po na deactivated voters---yung mga hindi bumoto sa dalawang magkasunod na eleksyon, kailangan mag reactivate kayo (There are still seven million deactivated voters, those who did not vote in two consecutive elections---you need to reactivate your voter status),” she said.

“‘Yung inyong reactivation eh sa email na lang. Pati ‘yung inyong pagsusumpa, nasa video na rin (The reactivation process is through email. Your oath-taking will also be in video form),”

The Comelec said its offices are open for voter registration Mondays to Fridays, while "no voter registration on Saturdays, except Oct. 30," from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.