The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has extended voter registration for the 2022 National Elections until October 30. To prevent voter disenfranchisement effectuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate adjured the Comelec to extend the deadline of voter registration.
On September 29, COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez said, “Extension is from October 11 to 30; Monday to Friday, no Saturdays, except for the last day (October 30), 8 am to 5 pm. All registration services offered.”
At the same time, the voter registration for overseas voters was extended from October 1 to 14, as Jimenez stated, “for overseas voting, the filing of COCs is not an issue, thus the extension starts immediately.”
Due to operational concerns, the COMELEC has been assertive on pushing through the original September 30 deadline before allowing the one-month extension request of the lawmakers and stakeholders.
On the 14th of September, the Senate adopted Proposed Senate Resolution (PSR) No. 851 primarily penned by Senator Francis Pangilinan. Supporting the action of the Senate, House leaders filed the House Bill No. 10261 on September 22, compelling the Comelec to allow the one-month extension.
The Senate Bill No. 2048 was passed and expected to be approved on the third and final reading on the 27th of September. It is a brief and forthright bill that directly affirms the registration of voters for the 2022 Philippine elections is “hereby extended to October 30, 2021.”
On September 29, the COMELEC approved the extension of voter registration. From the joint efforts of the House and the Senate, including other factions, the extension was granted. Congress enacted a bill prolonging voter registration deadline by at least a month, in which President Duterte inked it into law.
As of October 11, the COMELEC has already recorded 63 million Filipinos for the 2022 elections. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority estimated a 73.3 million voting population by next year.
