FILE PHOTO: People wait in line for the last day of voter registration at a mall in Manila on Saturday, October 30, 2021. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has urged young Filipinos eligible to vote in the 2025 midterm elections to register with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exercise their right to suffrage.
In a statement, Romualdez stressed that young people must register as they are the “backbone” of the country’s future.
Romualdez said this after the Comelec opened the registration last February 12. Currently, the poll body said over 340,000 new voters have registered for the next elections.
READ: Comelec: Over 340,000 new voters registered from Feb 12 to 17
“The youth are the backbone of our nation’s future. Their active participation in the upcoming elections is crucial in ensuring that their concerns, aspirations, and vision for the country are represented and addressed by our leaders,” Romualdez said on Wednesday
Romualdez said they also plan to launch a series of voter registration drives and awareness campaigns over educational institutions, youth organizations, and communities nationwide.
“These initiatives will provide resources, information, and assistance to facilitate the registration process for young voters, noting that involvement in the electoral process is instrumental in building a stronger, more inclusive democracy and ensuring a brighter future for future generations,” he said.
READ: Comelec reports over 80,000 new registrants on Day 1 of listing
According to Comelec, a huge chunk of the 348,349 registrants came from Calabarzon and Metro Manila, with 61,736 and 48,187, respectively.
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia told INQUIRER.net they are overwhelmed but thankful that people are flocking to Comelec offices to register. According to Garcia, the three-million target by September may already be a “very conservative number.”
The voter registration for the 2025 national and local elections officially opened on February 12 and will run until September 30. Currently, the country has 68 million registered voters.