The Taguig City government has ditched its requirement for scholarship program applicants to get their voter’s certification from the local office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
This after people complained about the difficulty in lining up at the Comelec-Taguig office to get the voter’s certification, one of the requirements for the Taguig City University-City Education Assistance Allowance (TCU-CEAA).
The Taguig Scholarship Office posted that for the TCU-CEAA, the requirements are: junior and senior high school card, diploma and certification from the principal for new applicants; school ID or any valid government-issued ID; voter’s certification of the parents issued after May 9, 2022; voter’s certification of the applicant for those at least 18 years old issued after May 9, 2022; and birth certificate.
Hanna Lei Jim Refuerzo, a Taguig resident, posted photos and videos on Facebook on June 14 about the difficulty in getting a slot at the Comelec-Taguig office.
“Sitwasyon namin kagabi sa labas ng city hall. 9:30 pa lang kagabi nag cut off na kayo dahil nasa 300 na ang nasa loob at ang kaya nilang iaccommodate. Nakikipag usap kami sa mga guards kagabi na sana 'yung mga hindi naka abot sa 300 ay ilista at bigyan ng number para may sure spot kinabukasan at maka kuha na. (Our situation last night outside the city hall. At 9:30, you already cut off because there were already 300 people inside and the only they can accommodate. We talked to the guards last night that if possible, those who did not make it to the 300 should be listed and be given numbers so they would have a sure spot the following day and could get ,” she posted.
She added, “Sana isipin ng ating lungsod ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mga estudyante at mga magulang na nag sasakripisyo upang maka kuha ng voters cert (I hope the city should think about the welfare and safety of students and parents who sacrifice to get the voter’s certification).”
The Taguig Scholarship Office updated its scholarship requirements on June 15.
“After several discussions between COMELEC-Taguig, an independent Constitutional office, and representatives of the City Government of Taguig, it has been agreed that we will be implementing the following: 1. Taguig Scholarship Applicants will not anymore line up to get from Comelec their Voter's Certification. Instead, the City Government will submit to Comelec the list of applicants who applied via googlelink. The Comelec will then comment on each name on the list whether they are Active Voter, Deactivated or Not on Record,” it posted on Facebook.
It added, “We will then post on our FB page those names that are classified by Comelec as Deactivated and Not on Record -- they may appeal the classification directly with Comelec. Those classified as Active by Comelec are deemed to have submitted their Voter's Certification.”
The scholarship office said the parents or guardians will be the only ones who will get from Comelec their “voter’s certification. But those who were issued Voter's Certification from Jan 1, 2022 to May 2022 will still be honored within 2022.”
“For those who fail to complete the requirements, you will still have a chance to submit within the year the completed requirements. But we will only process for payroll those who are qualified and have submitted complete requirements,” it added.