‘2.5 million registrants not yet approved as voters’

MANILA, Philippines — Those who registered to vote in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections over 2.5 million in all are not yet sanctioned to vote, pending approval by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco made this clarification as the registration period for the barangay and SK polls set for Dec. 5 ended last Saturday.

“All of them are still considered as applicants, whose applications are subject to approval or denial by the respective Election Registration Board (ERB),” Laudiangco said. “Oppositions may and can still be filed (against applicants) until July 28, 2022.”

All ERBs nationwide are set to hold their respective hearings on Aug. 1 and only after then will they be posting decisions on whether those who registered as voters are approved or disapproved.

“All actions (of the ERBs) will be posted (in the bulletin boards of the OEO and city/municipal hall),” Laudiangco said.

The posts will include the names and addresses of the applicants, the dates of the applications, and the decisions of the ERBs.

Meanwhile, voter registration for the barangay and SK elections went on smoothly until the last day, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“We are glad to inform you that the last day of registration went smoothly without any recorded crime incident,” Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba, PNP Public Information Office chief, said in a statement.

The only challenge to the exercise was the long queues, said Alba, adding: “But, this was expected and a system flow was already in place.” – Ralph Edwin Villanueva