LOCAL executives of Metro Manila have proposed the resetting of this month’s voter registration to January 2021 or when the quarantine level in the National Capital Region is downgraded to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), whichever comes first.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Metro Manila Council (MMC) raised the issue with the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), which has yet to make a final decision on the matter.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) resumed the registration for new and overseas voters on Tuesday, September 1, as the 30-day GCQ classification took effect in the NCR, Batangas, Bulacan and the cities of Tacloban and Bacolod.
To avoid possible contamination of the coronavirus disases (COVID-19) during the electoral activity, registrants were advised to download the registration from the agency’s website and have the filled-out form ready for submission when they go to election offices for the registration process.
Registrants were also reminded to wear a face mask and face shield, which can only be removed when taking a photo for the biometrics requirement, and to bring their own pens and sign a health declaration form.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez requested the Metro Manila mayors’ proposal.
Jimenez said it would be difficult to reschedule the voter registration activity for the May 2022 national and local elections as it has already resumed yesterday after six months of being suspended.
“The Comelec respects the decision and opinion of the IATF. (But) I think the timing is unfortunate. It is a little late in the day because we have already resumed. It is difficult at this point to see how this would work,” said Jimenez, adding: “As far as the Comelec is concerned, we are a little keen in continuing the voter registration because there have been no voter registration activities for months already.”
In addition, the poll official said they believe that it would be counterproductive to cram the registration period to only 9 months, if it is rescheduled to resume in January 2021.
“Imagine, that is just 9 months. The effect of that will be people crowding come the deadline because they were unable to register earlier. It is far safer for us to spread the registration period over a longer period than to crash it in a short term period,” said Jimenez.
He also said they were caught by surprise by the said request of the Metro mayors as they have been in communication with the IATF prior to resuming voter registration.
“We have informed the IATF that we will be resuming and that we have, in fact, resumed registration. So we will see what happens when they see that request from the mayors,” said Jimenez.
The Comelec resumed voter registration nationwide, except in areas still under enhanced community quarantine or modified enhanced community quarantine.
According to Jimenez, the resumption of voter registration activities nationwide got a fairly good reception from the public. — With Gerard Naval
