Senate OKs bill extending voter registration period on 2nd reading

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — A bill mandating the one-month extension of the voter registration period is now only one step closer to the Senate’s final approval.

During Wednesday’s session, senators approved Senate Bill No. 2408 on the second reading.

If the measure is signed into law, the registration of voters for next year’s poll will be extended to October 31, 2021.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) set the deadline on Sept. 30, 2021 but senators believe the registration of voters should be extended to avoid “massive disenfranchisement.”

The Senate is expected to give its final nod to the measure next week.

Comelec has previously said that it will not be extending the voter registration deadline. Instead, the poll body extended voter registration hours and opened registration areas in shopping malls.

READ: Comelec likely to tackle voter registration extension — Guanzon