MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is calling on the public to register early ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections next year and the 2025 midyear elections.
Voter registration kicked off last week, December 12, and will be open until the end of January 2023. The poll body also opened its “Register Anywhere Program” (RAP) so the public can also go through the process conveniently in malls.
Related Stories
So far, there are only 150,817 applicants who signed up for voter registration via local Comelec offices while only 611 applicants made use of RAP sites across eight malls, namely Robinsons Galleria, SM Southmall, Robinsons Manila, SM City Fairview, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Tacloban, SM City Legazpi, and Robinsons Naga.
“We understand since it is possible that people are still busy with their last holiday appointments and gatherings related to the holidays,” Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.
However, the commission is asking the public to register in advance to avoid the rush once the deadline nears.
Registration will be open in the next week, except on Christmas eve and Christmas day, as well as on New Year’s eve and on January 1.