Voter’s registration resumes today

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections - Field Office in Cebu City will exercise “maximum electoral procedures” for the remaining 15 days of voters’ registration and other public transactions in line with the May 2016 elections.

Starting today, Comelec will operate 12 hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., until the last day of registration on October 31. The registration for first time voters and other public transactions will also continue on weekends and official holidays.

“(Right after the filing of Certificate of Candidacy,) there will be registration at our office…  Our voters’ registration will be 12 hours a day, seven days a week,” said lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer for the city’s north district.

Registration of voters, transfer of registration records, and validation via biometrics were suspended on October 12 to pave for the five-day filing of COCs.

Sarno said registration at the office will be suspended on the dates Comelec will hold offsite registration at the malls.

“Kun naa’y offsite, wala diri sa opisina ang registration,” he said.

The staff at the office will only attend to other transactions such as releasing of voter’s ID and certification.

The offsite registration is scheduled on October 18 and 25 (Sundays) at Robinson’s Cybergate; October 26 to 29 (Monday to Thursday) at Ayala Center Cebu; and, again, on October 30 and 31 (Friday and Saturday) at Robinson’s Cybergate.

Residents in the city who are at least 18 years old and have lived for at least six months at the place they want to vote at are qualified to register via biometrics. The registrant would need to bring any I.D. or birth certificate.

Sarno said they will do their best to accommodate as many registrants as they can.

“Puwede 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. pero depende sa gidaghanon sa tawo. Kun wala nay tawo, mangabli pa diay ta? Atong cut-off sa oras sa registration, depende sa gidaghanon sa tawo jud,” he said.

He said they are expecting longer hours during the last days of registration.

“Ato na siyang gipanglantawan na, based on our experience, daghan jud nang tawo. Maglisod ta og accommodate og mga tawo,” he said.

He acknowledged that the Comelec office has very small space but they do not have plans of moving to another area. — May B. Miasco/JMO (FREEMAN)