By Mariela Angella Oladive
Voter registration in Iloilo City surged by 300% on the final day of the registration period for the 2025 midterm elections, held on September 30 at Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo Business Park, according to Jonathan Sayno, Officer II of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-Iloilo City.
“In comparison to earlier days, when we typically had around 200 registrants, we now have approximately 1,200 on the last day,” Sayno said.
This surge marked the highest single-day turnout since the registration period began on February 12.
Although the official cutoff time was 3 p.m., a large crowd continued to line up. To accommodate the overflow, Sayno explained that registrants were allowed to log their names and fill out forms in advance.
The overwhelming numbers were attributed to “Filipino Time,” a common tendency among Filipinos to delay actions until the last possible day.
Regional Election Director Dennis Ausan had previously announced that there would be no extension beyond the September 30 deadline.
Among the registrants were several first-time voters who shared their stories.
A 61-year-old resident said, “I’ve never voted before because I didn’t have anyone to guide me. It was my child who convinced me to register this time… after working in Manila for so long.”
Alexzar Jude Lamonte, a 21-year-old first-time voter, expressed relief at completing his registration.
“I just registered today because it’s difficult in the province. It feels great to finally register; now I can decide who is worth voting for.”
Meanwhile, Albert Villa, 48, who had been deactivated for around ten years, took the opportunity to reactivate his voter status on the last day.
With the voter registration period now concluded, COMELEC will shift its focus to the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the midterm elections, which will run from October 1 to October 8.
