Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 12) — Seven senators filed a resolution on Thursday urging the Commission on Elections to extend the deadline for voter registration by a month.
The resolution seeks to move the deadline from September 30 to October 31 “to prevent voter disenfranchisement brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
It was introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, along with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Nancy Binay, Leila De Lima, Risa Hontiveros, and Joel Villanueva.
The senators said the initial deadline was set by the COMELEC prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the poll body “could not have anticipated the adverse impact of the pandemic to voter registration and must make the necessary adjustments.”
They pointed out that the COMELEC has also suspended registration several times due to the health crisis, and has set deadlines even beyond October 31 in past elections.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the senators said the projected voting population in 2022 is 73.3 million, but the latest tally by the poll body shows there are around 60 million registered voters – leaving around 13.3 million eligible Filipino voters unregistered.
Meanwhile, COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon earlier announced that the reactivation of those who failed to vote in two consecutive elections will be done this month through email.
She said 6.3 million voters were deactivated, but their biometrics are still in the poll body’s base so there is no need to reactivate in person.
LOOK: Proposed Senate resolution urges @COMELEC to extend the voter registration deadline from September 30 to October 31 "to prevent voter disenfranchisement brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic." | @eimorpsantos pic.twitter.com/VyhADObDJW
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) August 12, 2021
