Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia speaks in an ambush interview on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Photo by Dianne Sampang/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is planning to improve its ‘Register Anywhere Program’ (RAP) for the next elections by tapping more municipalities to participate in the initiative, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said on Friday.
According to Garcia, 50,000 Filipinos have already benefited from the program. The poll body has tapped 170 malls and other institutions nationwide to conduct the program that aims to make voting registration easier and more accessible.
READ: Comelec launches ‘Register Anywhere’
“Dahil sa napakagandang simulang ‘yan, sa susunod natin na registration, mas palalawakin, at mas maiimprove at madami naman na po tayong naayos na gusot before kung paano aayusin ‘yong Registration Anywhere Program,” said Garcia in an ambush interview.
(Because of this impressive start, in the next registration, we will broaden and improve it, and we have fixed many issues before, so we should know how to improve the RAP.)
When asked about the major concerns that they will improve in the program, the Comelec chief said they need to reach more municipalities to cater to more voter registrations. The poll body originally instructed capital cities and towns to establish channels for the program.
“Kinakailangang hindi lang available sa mga malls, hindi lang available doon sa mga malalaking public or private institutions. Baka naman kakailanganin pang bumaba kami sa level, kung hindi sa barangay ay sa mga munisipyo,” he noted.
(It should not only be available in malls and other big public and private institutions. Maybe we can reach municipalities if not barangays.)
“Kasi namin sa ‘Registration Anywhere’ ay para lang sa capital cities and towns, so paano naman ‘yong mga malalaking town and municipalities na may kababayan din tayong kailangang makapagrehistro sapagka’t wala na silang panahon para umabsent sa trabaho o sa klase,” he added.
(The RAP is only for capital cities and towns, so how about the big towns and municipalities where the people need to register but don’t have the time to take off from work or school?)
Garcia said that more RAP sites should be added abroad for Filipinos who want to register to vote. He also called on overseas Filipinos to utilize online voting which they can access through their electronic gadgets.
READ: Comelec: New voters’ applications surpass 5-M mark
The Comelec chief also shared that they have processed around 5.6 million voter applications. He also underscored the importance of improving the numbers of these applications.
“Ang pagboto at pagparticipate ng mga kababayan sa paghalal ng bagong lider ay ganoon kaimportante sapagkat dapat lahat ay may pakialam… Upang masabi natin na ang lider na ‘yan ay inihalal ko kaya responsible siya sa akin, and at the same time, ‘yong mga hindi mo hinalal ay kailangang singilin mo rin,” he said.
(Voting and participating in electing new leaders is important because everyone should be involved in this… For us to say that the leader is someone I elected, so they are accountable to me, and at the same time, you should also hold accountable those you didn’t vote for.)
There is no extension for the RAP deadline on August 31, 2024, as the poll body needs to forward the applications to corresponding local Comelec sites where the applicants are residing. Meanwhile, the voters’ registration nationwide ends on September 30, 2024.