Poll body urged to extend voter’s registration

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas on Tuesday sent a letter to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) asking for an extension of the voter’s registration beyond the September 30, 2021 deadline, citing delays caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Voter’s registration in the city was suspended more than 3 months since May 24 after being placed under stricter community quarantine statuses – the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and eventually the highest-level ECQ in July.

Resolution No. 10674 issued by the COMELEC En Banc in August 2020 suspended voter’s registration in all areas under MECQ and ECQ to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection.

Registration only resumed on Sept. 6, after the En Banc issued Resolution No. 10178 on Sept. 1 allowing areas under MECQ to resume registration, including on Saturdays and holidays.

The poll body has repeatedly rejected the proposed extension, saying that it would cause delays in the election.

But the long period of delay caused voter registration lines to swell across the country, including in Iloilo City, where satellite registrations have exceeded to more than 1,000 persons in the past days.

COMELEC Iloilo City’s designated spokesperson, Jonathan Sayno, previously told Daily Guardian that their office’s target capacity is only around 500 to 600 daily.

In his letter, Treñas said extending voter’s registration would “allow more citizens to exercise their precious right to vote” in the 2022 elections.

“As a democratic country, the voice of the people is important and relevant in the government. A huge number of new voters are yet to register. This extension would allow more Filipinos to exercise their right to vote and to elect those who think would be the best leaders for our nation,” the mayor said in his letter.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo Iloilo, the mayor said that the long lines in satellite registration activities prompted him to write to the poll body.

He reiterated that the long delay in resuming voter’s registration caused the long lines, with some registrants queueing in the wee hours of the morning due to the limited slots.

“We saw that many want to register, and because of that, others go to the registration area early morning just to fall in line. Some wake up at 5:00 a.m. just to do so. That is why we want to extend it by 30 days,” he said.

He hopes that the COMELEC En Banc would take up his request.