Extension of voter registration pushed

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) continues to be urged to extend the voter registration deadline for Election 2022, which will end on September 30.

Two weeks before the deadline, various youth groups went to the Comelec office in Quezon City to distribute alcohol to those queuing to register.

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Their message to the Comelec was to postpone the deadline until January 2022 because many are still unable to register.

He also said that this would help prevent the Comelec offices from being attacked by the scrambling qualified voters.

“Nakakuha kami ng maraming reports from our local coordinators na grabe na ‘yung pila ngayon sa Comelec, and we are concerned about the youth, ‘yung exposure nila paglabas sa Comelec, so we are calling for the extension,” said Gladys Milioga, convenor of First Time Voters Network.

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“Lahat po ay may consensus na; ang kailangan na lang po ay ang Comelec na mag-decide ang act with urgency na i-extend na ang voter registration bago pa man matapos ang buwan na ito,” said Justine Balane of Akbayan Youth.

“Magiging mahirap talaga kung hindi ie-extend dahil nga nakikita naman natin ngayon kung gaano kahaba ‘yung pila, alas-5 pa lang ng hapon cut off na pero siyempre may ibang kabataan na gusto pa rin namang pumunta dito,” said Alyana Lagasca of Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking.

Extension of voter registration pushed

There is only one youth sector requesting an extension. However, even the academy, other cause-oriented groups, and the House and Senate are also appealing.

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The Comelec had earlier asserted that it could no longer afford to extend voter registration as it would severely affect their preparations for the election, such as ballot printing and deployment of election supplies and equipment.

Instead, registration hours have been extended.

According to Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, most of the Comelec en banc are no longer in favor of extending the voter registration deadline, although they will discuss the Senate resolution.

So far, 62 million have registered to vote. But according to some groups, more than 70 million are eligible to register based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

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