Over 52,000 apply as voter signup ends in NIR

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — A total of 52,375 voter registration applications were filed in the Negros Island Region (NIR) during the nine-week signup period from October 20 to December 20, 2025, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced Friday.

According to data from the Office of the Regional Election Director (ORED), the region saw a surge of 2,766 applications in the final five days, as residents rushed to meet the registration deadline.

“We’re encouraged by the strong turnout, especially during the final week. It shows that people are eager to exercise their right to vote,” said ORED-NIR Director Maria Lourdes Villanueva.

She noted that both male and female applicants were well represented across all three provinces.

Negros Occidental posted the highest number of registrations, with 35,538 total applications. Women accounted for 19,051 of these, outnumbering men by more than 2,500.

Negros Oriental followed with 16,076 applications—8,495 from women and 7,581 from men. Siquijor, the smallest province in the region, recorded 761 applications, including 388 men and 373 women.

In the final week from December 15 to 20, Negros Occidental led again with 1,583 applications, while Negros Oriental had 1,143 and Siquijor processed 40.

The Register Anywhere Program (RAP), which allows voters to apply outside their home localities, contributed only 0.4 percent of total applications.

Bacolod City received 69 RAP applications, while Dumaguete City handled 158. Siquijor recorded no RAP submissions.

All 98 RAP applications filed in the final week came from Dumaguete City.

Comelec reminded the public that the final deadline for voter registration in the NIR is Friday, December 23, before Comelec offices close for the holidays.

Regional Election Director Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano said offices will be closed from December 24 to January 4, with December 26 declared a non-working day.

Regular operations—including new registrations, updates, and transfers—will resume on January 5, 2026.

Comelec-NIR said the turnout demonstrates sustained public engagement in the ongoing registration cycle, which spans Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.