MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from the House of Representatives Makabayan bloc on Monday filed a resolution urging the Commission on Elections to extend voters registration period for at least another month, citing possible “massive disenfranchisement” amid the pandemic.
BusinessWorld reported that six lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc called on the House to urge the Comelec to extend the deadline for voter registration until at least October 31, or for a month, “to deter massive voter disenfranchisement amid COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The September 30 deadline was set before the COVID-19 pandemic and it now falls upon the COMELEC’s prerogative to adjust the deadline due to the ramifications of the pandemic,” they said.
The lawmakers noted that due to Enhanced Community Quarantine and Modified ECQ periods imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, voter registration was suspended for months. The lockdowns affected even satellite registration period too.
“Considering the five-and-a-half month suspension which is equivalent to approximately 28.3% or 164 days of the voter registration period across the country and, after that, month-long suspensions in areas under ECQ and MECQ brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic (some areas, such as Metro Manila, lost up to 36.8% of the entire registration period), COMELEC has the prerogative to set the deadline of voter registration on a later date but before Jan. 9. 2022,” the resolution read.
The Comelec suspended voter registration in Metro Manila from August 6 to 20, during the lockdown period.
There were also reports of limited registration slots, ineffective registration sites and lone lines due to staff shortage, prompting registrants to line up as early as 4:00 a.m, they said.
They claimed that some 13.1 million prospective voters may be disenfranchised due to backlog.
“Thus, extending voter registration is all the more prudent thing to do and is already an imperative as we have just and heavier reasons to implement it now more than ever,” the resolution further read.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon last week said there will be no extension of voter registration. The STAR quoted her as saying that the Comelec has “to finish Project of Precincts in December… Voters’ names will have to be assigned to precincts.”
But Guanzon assured that the Comelec is looking for ways to allow voters more time to sign up for the 2022 polls such as a proposal to allow Sunday registration. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from BusinessWorld, The STAR/Sheila Crisostomo