Caloocan appeals to Comelec for special registration center

MANILA, Philippines – Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri yesterday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to put up a special voter registration center that will cater to “ambiguous” areas of the city.

He said Caloocan was divided in such a way that on a map, there are two large distinct land areas – Caloocan City North and Caloocan City South.

 “If one would then consider the city’s two congressional districts, a greater portion of Caloocan City South, which should have been geographically part of Caloocan District 2, still belonged to District 1,” Echiverri said.

These “confusing” areas, comprising 48 barangays, include all the localities bounded by the left portion of Gen. San Miguel Street in Sangandaan going to Monumento; the left portion of EDSA going to Balintawak; and all the areas comprising East Bagong Barrio, Baesa to Sta. Queteria to Talipapa.

Echiverri said that while the office of Comelec District 2 office along A. Mabini street is the most accessible for most residents of these areas, they have to travel 45 kilometers to the Comelec District 1 office on Zapote Road in Camarin for their election-related concerns, including the ongoing voters’ registration.

He said the “considerable distance” of the Comelec District 1 office and the “higher cost of travel” are major deterrents for first-time registrants in Caloocan City South.

“By bringing Comelec’s voter registration service closer to the public, more particularly to these confusing areas of Caloocan, it would bring enormous convenience and financial savings to our residents,” Echiverri said.

He assured the Comelec that “the city government would be more than ready to assist them in the creation of the special voter registration center in order to bring their service closer to the people.” – Pete Laude