By Joseph B.A. Marzan
The Iloilo City office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) reminded persons who wish to register for the 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE) to observe health protocols against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it revealed slight changes to the voter registration process.
Since voter registration for the current election cycle started on Sept. 1, the COMELEC has adopted measures in response to the ongoing pandemic.
This includes filling out of health declaration forms before entering their office and regular reminders to registrants to bring their own pens.
The COMELEC national office announced on Oct. 26 that it had changed its registration days to four days, from Monday to Thursday.
In past election cycles, the COMELEC had implemented a five-day schedule, from Tuesday to Saturday.
Registration has also been closed on holidays, another deviation from its usual pre-pandemic schedules.
The national office has also ordered local offices in highly urbanized cities, which include Iloilo City, to cater a maximum of only 100 registrants per day.
COMELEC Iloilo City spokesperson Jonathan Sayno told Daily Guardian via phone interview on Monday that this was an order by the COMELEC national office in Manila, after observing low turnout on Saturdays.
Fridays, according to Sayno, were designated as “disinfection days” in line with their measures to avoid pandemic risks.
Sayno also said that around 5,000 residents have already lined up to register, which he has estimated to be more than the number of the 2019 NLE.
He added this may be due to the voter’s registration as a requirement in other national and local offices.
“Several offices, public or private, ask for their voter’s registration as a requirement, like for senior citizens. The National ID System also lists a Voter’s ID as a proof which may be presented for registration,” Sayno said in a phone interview.
Despite these higher turnouts, he said that there will be no scheduled satellite registrations in the city as ordered by the national office.
The requirement set by the national office to hold satellite registration is a two-week period after the case mark of a locality hits zero, said Sayno.
