By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
In preparation for the 2025 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Iloilo City is ramping up its satellite registration initiatives at various accessible public locations throughout May, starting today at the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) Hall in the La Paz district.
Following the kickoff, registration activities are scheduled at Robinsons Jaro from May 8 to 10, Barangay Dungon A Covered Gym on May 11, Marymart Center from May 14 to 15, Bolilao Barangay Hall/Covered Gym on May 18, and Santo Niño Norte Barangay Hall and Day Care Center on May 25.
Jonathan Sayno, COMELEC Iloilo City Election Assistant II, said in an interview with Daily Guardian on Air that the goal is to register between 10,000 and 12,000 new voters for the upcoming elections.
Services offered at these sites will include registration for new voters, transfer of voter records, corrections for misspelled names and updates for married women, and reactivation of voter records for those who have not voted in previous elections.
The city currently has 333,470 registered voters, based on data from the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections held last October 30.
Satellite registration efforts began citywide following the nationwide registration start on February 12.
Additionally, the local election office is now accepting registrations under the COMELEC’s Register Anywhere Program, which allows non-residents to register to vote in their current place of residence without needing to travel back to their hometowns.
COMELEC and its local offices are urging the public to register early to avoid the rush as the September 30 registration deadline approaches.
Eligible registrants must be Philippine residents for at least one year, have lived in the locality where they intend to vote for at least six months before the election, be at least 18 years old, and not be disqualified by law.
A valid identification document issued by any government entity or school is required for registration.
Any resident of the Philippines for at least 1 year, and in the place where he or she proposes to vote for 6 months preceding the elections, who is aged 18 years old and above, and not disqualified under the law, may register to vote.
They must bring any valid identification document (ID), issued by any government entity or school, to their nearest registration venues or local election offices to be able to register.
