THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has urged qualified Filipinos to register and vote wisely in the upcoming 2022 national and local elections.
“The IBP has joined the call for people to participate in the 2022 polls because it is the right thing to do. As the sentinel of the rule of law and democracy, it is important for the IBP to encourage the public to exercise its right and responsibility in one of the most basic foundations of a healthy democracy,” IBP National President Burt Estrada said.
The IBP has posted on its official Facebook page a call for qualified Filipinos to register with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for them to cast their votes in the May 9, 2022 polls.
“It is important to remind people that power resides in them and that all government authority emanates from them and that it is through the ballot that the people exercise this power,” Estrada stated.
The IBP first posted last August 12 on its Facebook page that the coming elections are important and that Filipinos “need to all step up and vote as if our lives and our future depends on it because they do.”
The post added: “As we countdown to May 9, 2022, Election Day, this early make sure you are registered to vote.”
Last Monday, the IBP reiterated its appeal to the electorate and posted: “Your vote counts. Every vote counts. Register Now!”
Voter registration deadline is on September 30.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon earlier said that 5.77 million new voters have so far registered, bringing the total number of registered voters to over 60 million.
Some sectors have also requested the Comelec to extend the voter registration until October 31 to prevent massive vote disenfranchisement brought about by restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.