Comelec to boost info drive for ‘register anywhere’

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will ramp up its information campaign for the register anywhere program (RAP) following the low turnout of voter registration at sites outside Metro Manila.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said that although while the turnout is low, they were expecting more applicants in the run-up to the deadline on Jan. 22.

“We need to bolster our information drive, but to be fair, it’s orderly and expeditious,” Garcia told journalists on Monday.

“It’s usually really like this in the beginning. But it will peak in January,” Garcia added.

The Comelec recorded 292 applicants on the first day of RAP on Saturday across eight sites in the country, while 319 applicants were recorded on the second day.

The RAP is being held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, SM Southmall in Las Piñas and SM City in Legazpi, Albay as well as at Robinsons malls in Manila, Pasig, Tacloban and Naga.

No applicants were recorded on the first day of the registration in Tacloban, while Legazpi logged six and Naga 12.

On the second day, four, eight and 22 people registered in Tacloban, Legazpi and Naga, respectively.

The RAP is conducted every Saturday and Sunday. It will end on Jan. 22.