Comelec urged to extend voter registration deadline

MANILA, Philippines — The House Makabayan bloc has urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend the deadline for the voter registration until Oct. 31.

Through House Resolution No. 2128, the six lawmakers from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers and Kabataan asked the Comelec to extend its voter registration to prevent massive voter disenfranchisement amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nationwide voters’ registration is set to end on Sept. 30. They cited instances in the past when the Comelec set deadlines that were beyond Oct. 31 of the year before elections.

They warned that an estimated 13.11 million prospective voters in the 2022 presidential elections would be disenfranchised.

—NESTOR CORRALES