Comelec resumes issuance of voter’s certification

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Thursday announced that it would resume the issuance of voter’s certification for registered voters starting June 15.

Comelec issued Comelec Resolution No. 10672 which directed to resume the issuance of voter’s certification at Comelec’s offices of the Election Officer (OEOs) in general community quarantine or modified community quarantine areas or at the Main Office in Intramuros.

However, Comelec said the voter’s certification remains suspended in cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay, in the province of Cebu, until further notice.

Under the resolution, the strict protocols for voter’s certification include the “installation of glass windows or plastic sheet barriers and hand sanitation stations; daily disinfection of all office furniture and equipment; and posting of clear and visible signs of wearing of face masks/shields, regular hand washing, physical distancing, and other preventive health measures.”

Comelec also required the public on its ”No Face Mask/Shield, No Transaction Policy.” Physical distancing will be observed at all times in all OEOs, Comelec added.

Comelec said certification is free of charge for Senior Citizens, persons with disability (PWD) and members of the Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Cultural Communities.

It is also free for voters in the “Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) who will secure their certification in the OEO of the locality where they are registered.”

The poll body also said seniors and PWDs may request an authorized person to claim their Voter’s Certification on their behalf “provided that the authorized person will submit a special power of attorney (SPA) or an authorization letter together with photocopies of both the requestor and the authorized representative’s valid ID.”

Comelec first suspended the issuance of Voter’s Certification on March 15 after the country’s declaration of a public health emergency.

To recall, Comelec suspended voter certification on April 13 and extended it on April 30 due to the COVID-19 threat. The suspension was extended on the second time until June 30.