Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — In a bid to have more voters registered, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set up satellite registration and validation booths in Metro Manila malls.
“We want to make the voter registration and validation process a lot easier and accessible to all,” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said on Thursday (July 2).
This is also the reason behind the partnership with malls, he added.
Related: Voter registration in malls to cover 6 Luzon provinces
Under the Comelec’s “No Bio No Boto” campaign, voters who fail to register their biometrics or submit themselves for validation shall not be allowed to vote for the May 2016 elections.
The Comelec chairman explained that some 500,000 registered voters in Metro Manila may lose their chance to vote unless they submit themselves for validation, which is the process of digitally capturing a voter’s photograph, fingerprints, and signature.
Around 4.3 million registered voters are still without biometrics, according to Comelec.
The deadline for validation is until October 31.
Election law expert Romulo Macalintal, however, said a petition can be filed against the mandatory biometrics registration of Comelec for the 2016 elections.
Macalintal said that only new voters should be required to register their biometrics as specified in Section 10 of the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013 (R.A. 10367).
Here is the initial schedule of satellite registration in Metro Manila malls:
Manila
SM Manila (District 3) July 4
SM Center Point (District 6) July 4
Robinson’s Manila (Districts 1 to 6) July 11, 18-19
Makati
Glorietta July 4 -5
Taguig
Market! Market! July 4 -5
Quezon City
SM North EDSA (Districts 1 and 5) July 4
U.P. Town Center (District 3) July 4-5, 11, 18-19
Fairview Terraces (District 5) July 4-5, 11, 18-19
Robinson’s Novaliches (District 5) July 11, 18-19
TriNoma (Districts 1, 2, 4, and 6) July 11, 18-19
Muntinlupa
Alabang Town Center July 11, 18-19
Pasig
Robinson’s Metro East July 11, 18-19
Mandaluyong
SM Megamall July 4
Las Piñas
SM South Mall July 4
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