AS lawmakers rushed legislation to compel it to extend voter registration, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to decide on the matter on Wednesday—a day before the deadline for listing.
High-ranking Comelec officials met last Monday to determine the feasibility of extending the deadline of voter registration beyond September 30, 2021 as requested by several lawmakers and groups.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the meeting was attended by all Comelec commissioners and regional directors.
“They [Comelec commissioners] are all there and they listened to the arguments and participated in the discussions, but they reserved judgement until later, when they are alone,” Jimenez explained.
He said the Comelec en banc will meet on Wednesday to finally decide on the matter.
“We are preparing the recommendation now and it will be submitted to the banc on Wednesday,” Jimenez said.
The Comelec en banc had earlier thumbed down the proposal to extend the voter registration deadline, saying such delay its preparations for the 2022 National and Local elections.
However, it decided to review its decision after some senators delayed the approval of the 2022 budget until it commits to extend the voter registration.
Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas said they may consider extending voter registration by another week after the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) from October 1 to 8, 2021.
3rd reading in Senate, House
On Monday (September 27), the Senate and the House of Representatives separately approved on third reading a bill mandating the extension of voter registration amid repeated rejection by the Comelec of their appeals to stretch the registration to another month.
Senate Bill No. 2408, an Act Extending the Registration of Voters for the 2022 National and Local Elections, was unanimously approved by all senators in virtual and physical attendance.
The measure was signed by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, President Pro-Tempore Ralph G. Recto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy S. Binay, Pia S. Cayetano, Leila M. De Lima, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian, Christopher Lawrence Go, Richard J. Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo M. Lacson, Lito M. Lapid, Imee R. Marcos, Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva, and Cynthia A. Villar. Zubiri, principal author of the bill, said the Senate will adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the bill, which says the last day of registration will be 30 days from the effectivity of the proposed measure.
This will do away with the bicameral conference committee meeting to reconcile the two bills.
Then, the final version will be sent to the President for signature. “Hopefully the President will sign this request,” Zubiri said.
The House vote was 193 affirmative, 0 negative and 0 abstention on the bill filed by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco—along with Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano. It set the last day of registration for next year’s polls “30 days after the effectivity” of the proposed measure.
Senator Zubiri, in his own sponsorship speech, said the month-long extension could make a big difference in accommodating people who want to register for the 2022 elections. He said the extension would prevent the disfranchisement of about 12 million eligible voters.
Senators stressed that almost six months of the registration period was eaten up by stringent lockdowns forced by the pandemic.
Comelec resolutions dated July 18, 2019 and January 10, 2020 set voter registration for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections from January 20, 2020 until September 30, 2021.
The Comelec, the senators stressed, set the September 30, 2021 deadline before the pandemic happened, and should have adjusted it.
For his part, Velasco prodded the Comelec to put in place measures to make it easier for Filipinos to register and vote, such as fixing long lines at voter registration centers.
With Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz and Butch Fernandez