The registration of voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will begin on Dec. 12, 2022 and will last on Jan. 31, 2023, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Wednesday.
Overseas voters registration however, will start a bit earlier, on December 9, 2022, Comelec chair George Garcia said.
Registrants can also go to Comelec satellite registration offices nearest their place of residence Monday to Saturday, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, the poll body also announced that the Register Anywhere Project (RAP) will be pilot tested in five malls in Metro Manila starting next month.
The BSKE was supposed to be held this December, but Congress moved it October 2023.
Overseas Filipinos wanting to cast their votes in the BSKE can register in Philippine embassies and Consular Offices worldwide, Garcia said.
“[Several important Comelec activities] include the commencement of the overseas voter registration on December 9, 2022 on most of the Philippine Embassies and Consulate Generals worldwide,” Garcia said in a statement.
Overseas voter registration at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan will also start on the same date.
On the other hand, voter registration in embassies that operate only Sunday to Thursday will start registration on Dec. 11, 2022.
Overseas voting registration period will run until September 30, 2024.
Office of Overseas Voting director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada said Filipinos who are set to leave the country can register for overseas voting in Manila.
“Kasama rin po sa resumption ng overseas voting registration yung registration here in Manila, specifically, sa Office for Overseas Voting,” Lozada said.
“This is for our countrymen who are about to leave the country. They know that they’ll be abroad on election day in 2025. So, they can register before their deployment, deploy,” she added.
The overseas voting registration period will run until Sept. 30, 2024. In a statement, Comelec spoke man John Rex Laudiangco said the initial test for the RAP would be conducted at the SM Fairview in Quezon City, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, SM South Mall in Las Piñas City, Robinsons Place Manila, and Robinsons Galleria in Quezon City.
“It (RAP) will start on Dec. 17, 2022 and until Jan. 22, 2023. It will be held on Saturdays and Sundays,” Laudiangco said.
Aside from the malls, the Comelec also mulls the inclusion of the Senate office in Pasay City, the House of Representatives in Quezon City, and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) main office in Pasay City in the RAP scheme.
Likewise, he said they are planning to include Bicol and Eastern Visayas as additional places for the pilot test of the RAP.
Under the RAP, qualified applicants residing anywhere in the Philippines may register at the RAP booths by submitting their application form and documentary requirements, and having their biometrics taken on-site.
Those who are eligible to register as barangay election voters are Filipinos 18 years and above, have been residing in the country for at least one year, and in the area where they intend to register for at least six months before election day.
Those qualified to register as SK voters are Filipinos 15 years to 30 years old, and residing in the area where he/she is looking to get registered for at least six months prior to election day.
Voter registration activities will be held Mondays to Saturdays in all city or municipal election offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Apart from the registration applications, also accepted during the period are the transfer of voter registration records, reactivation of voting status, and correction/change of entries in the voter registration record.