Comelec eyes ‘register anywhere’ expansion

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is eyeing the expansion of its register anywhere program (RAP) to ensure that more voters can participate in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in October.

”We are likely to eventually put RAP booths in all regions,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Gacia said at the launch of the RAP booth at the Government Service Insurance System gymnasium in Pasay City yesterday.

Under the program, qualified voters who temporarily reside in areas far from the place where they cast their vote can register in any RAP booth.

Garcia said RAP operations may also be extended beyond weekends.

RAP is currently being held every Saturday and Sunday at select malls in Manila, Quezon City, Parañaque and Pasay City in Metro Manila and the cities of Naga, Legazpi and Tacloban in the provinces.

RAP booths will be operational only until Jan. 22.

“Based on our initial findings, RAP has been good. It really provides opportunities to those who cannot go home to their provinces to register as voters,” Garcia said.

Comelec records showed that 1,129 applied for registration in RAP booths on Jan. 7 and 8, almost double the 611 who applied on Dec. 17 and 18 last year.

The voter registration, which resumed on Dec. 12 last year, is until Jan. 31.

The Comelec is targeting an additional 1.5 to two million voters for the barangay and SK elections.

It recorded 188,129 voter registrants from Dec. 12 to 30.