Deactivated voters outnumber new registrants

CEBU, Philippines — The count of deactivated voters has outnumbered the new registrants in the upcoming election period, according to the data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The registration period for the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections was officially closed last September 30, to give way for the preparations of the elections.

The Comelec has recorded 148,115 applicants in the Province of Cebu.

This number, however, failed to offset the 200,000 deactivated voters in the Province of Cebu.

The number includes voters who died but were not taken off the list yet due to Protection Orders from the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and the Senate Electoral Tribunal for the filed election protests.

For the SK elections, about 46,158 applicants have registered. This includes only those who are 15 to 17 years old.

At present, bills were filed in Congress calling for the postponement of the 2020 barangay and SK elections, so as to give ample time to the incumbent barangay and SK officials to properly execute their programs and plans of action.

Since no bill has been approved to postpone the elections, the Comelec will carry on with its election preparations until a law postponing the elections will be passed. — GAN (FREEMAN)