Satellite registration mulled

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections in Cebu City is planning to hold a satellite registration in selected barangay to encourage voters to register early and not to wait for the deadline on April 29, 2017.

Cebu City Election Officer Marchel Sarno said that holding satellite registration would also help Persons with Disabilities, Internally Displaced Persons, and senior citizens because they do not need to travel anymore to the Comelec offices. IDPs are those voters who were forced to migrate from their place because of circumstances.

The Comelec is expecting more than 55 million voters in the October 23, 2017 barangay and SK elections. Sarno said only very few people have availed of the continuing registration.

"Dili pa gyud kaayo daghan ang nagparehestro karon, tingali naghuwat na sab sa deadline ug adto na sila mag-inilogay," said Sarno.

The Comelec will accept new registrants, transfer of precinct, re-activation of voter's records with change or correction of entries, and inclusion or reinstatement of records on the list of voters.

The continuing registration started last November 7 and will end on April 23, 2017. Minors who will turn 15 on October 23, 2017 will be accepted for registration for SK.           Sarno said the Comelec is calling on the youth, as well as regular voters, to register now in their respective election offices for them to be counted in the barangay and SK elections next year.

He said that listing up early would spare the registrant from the inconvenience during the deadline. Sarno noticed that most of those who transferred their registration in the city are senior citizens from the nearby provinces.

He believes that this could be due to the P12,000 annual financial assistance that the city government is giving to the elderly in the city. (FREEMAN)