The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday announced that voters’ registration will resume on Feb. 12 and will run until Sept. 30.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said at least three million new voters are expected to register for the May 2025 midterm elections.
“To those looking to get registered as voters, you can do so beginning February 12 until September 30,” Garcia said.
Garcia said Comelec’s Register Anywhere Program (RAP) is available for eligible registrants.
Under it, applicants may proceed to the RAP booths nearest to them to submit the required documents, have their oaths administered, and have their biometrics data captured right then and there, even if they reside in another city or municipality.
“This means that if you are in Manila come from Bicol or the Visayas or Mindanao, you can get registered where you are studying or working. You don’t need to go home to the provinces,” the poll chief said.
Garcia said the Comelec wants to make voter registration more accessible to the people.
“Our projected number of registered voters is around three million, which shall be added to the current 68 million voters,” said Garcia.
Under the RAP, qualified voters residing anywhere in the Philippines may register at RAP booths by submitting their application form, documentary requirements, and have their biometrics taken on-site.
The submitted documents and captured biometrics data would then be endorsed and transmitted by the recipient RAP teams to the Office of the Election Officer of the district/city/municipality that have jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant.
Applicants may also go to the office of the election officer (OEO) or satellite registration sites in their areas to register to vote from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Registration will be suspended from March 28 to March 30, 2024, for the observance of Holy Week.
Registrants must also present any of government-issued identification cards (ID) bearing their signature: National Identification (ID) card under the Philippine Identification System.