CLOSE to 250,000 individuals filed their applications for voter registration at the final day of the voter registration period for the May 2025 national and local polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

Data provided by the Comelec showed that 247,095 applied for voter registration last Monday, the final day of the voter registration period, which started on February 12.

“In a single day, more than 240,000 sought registration and beat the deadline of the last day of registration,” said Comelec chairman George Garcia in an interview.

Calabarzon saw the highest number of last minute filers at 33,749; followed by National Capital Region with 30,686; and Central Luzon with 27,196.

The number, however, excludes Batanes, which was forced to suspend its voter registration activities due to typhoon “Julian.”

Garcia said local Comelec office in Batanes has decided not to hold a one-day special registration activity in the province despite having the option to do so.

“They based their decision last Saturday, wherein only 70 applied. They concluded that, more or less, everybody has registered. Thus, they decided to no longer reset the final day of voter registration,” he said.

The applications for voter registration filed between July 1 to September 30 are set to undergo hearings by the Election Registration Boards (ERBs) on October 14.

The ERB is the body constituted to act on all applications for registration on whether they will be approved or disapproved.