IS the Register Anywhere Project (RAP) bound to be everywhere?
This would be the question as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has expressed satisfaction over the pilot testing of the voter registration innovation with a nationwide implementation likely forthcoming.
“The RAP pilot testing is very successful,” said Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco on Wednesday night in a brief statement.
Laudiangco said the RAP’s pilot test “fully achieved” the goal of trying the poll body’s systems and IT infrastructure on the possibility of remote registration while remaining fully compliant to the Voter’s Registration Act.
Similarly, the poll official said the RAP is confirmed to be beneficial for several sectors, such as non-resident workers, overseas Filipinos, seafarers, students, and transients.
And given the success of the pilot testing, Laudiangco said they are preparing to build the necessary elements for a nationwide RAP implementation.
“It’s just a matter of expanding the training as well as the number of RAP staff, strengthening Comelec IT Infrastructure, further hardening of cybersecurity, and identification of strategic areas for RAP sites sufficient to establish nationwide coverage,” he said.
Laudiangco said having more collaborations and partnerships with malls throughout the country will also come in a handy.
Under the RAP, any qualified applicant residing anywhere in the Philippines may register at the RAP booths by submitting their application form, documentary requirements, and having their biometrics taken on-site.
The submitted documents and captured biometrics data shall then be endorsed and transmitted by the recipient RAP teams to the Office of the Election Officer of the district/city/municipality having jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant.
The RAP was pilot tested in select malls and government institutions during the recently concluded voter registration period.
Based on the final tally of the Comelec, there were a total of 2,504,502 applicants for voter registration between December 12, 2022 to January 31, 2023.
Among the total applications, there were 2,495,523 applications filed in regular voter registration sites in all cities and municipalities in the country.
An additional 8,979 applications have also been filed in the select RAP booths.
“If we add all reactivation, inclusion, and reinstatement applications, as well as the RAP new applicants and reactivations, the total number of additional voters surpassed the additional voters target,” said Laudiangco.
To recall, the Comelec has said that some 1.5 million to 2 million applicants are projected to apply during the voter registration period.
Broken down to their types of applications, the numbers of new registrants include 674,630 voters aged 15 to 17 years old; 659,070 voters aged 18 to 30 years old; and 142,107 voters aged 31 years old and above.
It should be noted that 15 to 17 years old voters may vote in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls, 18 to 30 years old voters for both the barangay and youth polls, and 31 years old and above for the barangay elections.
Among SK applicants, there were also 5,121 that applied for transfer from other city/municipality; while 2,841 applied for transfer within the same city/municipality.
For barangay voter applicants, there were also 566,644 that applied for transfer from other city/municipality; while 154,033 applied for transfer within the same city/municipality.
Records also showed that there were 22,612 that sought for transfer with reactivation; 7,535 that applied for transfer with reactivation and correction of entries; and 28,812 that applied for transfer with correction of entries.
There were also 94,266 that applied for reactivation, and 25,321 that sought reactivation with correction of entries.
The Comelec also said 102,620 applied for correction of entries, 126 for inclusion of record in the book of voters, and 44 for reinstatement of name in the list of voters.
Finally, there are already 9,741 that applied for transfer from being an overseas voter.
