February 10 ------ Coinciding with the start of the voter registration period for the 2025 National and Local Elections (2025 NLE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that the issuance of voter's certification in all Offices of the Election Officers, Comelec National Central File Division, and Comelec Office for Overseas Voting will be free of charge starting February 12. The Comelec En Banc has also declared Feb. 12, 2024 (Monday) as the "National Voter's Day" or "Pambansang Araw ng mga Botanteng Pilipino". "Comelec made this declaration of National Voter's Day to emphasize the importance of being a registered voter and explain the processes of registration and elections to the Filipino people," Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said.
In celebration of National Voter's Day, all Comelec offices nationwide will have various activities on Feb. 12 to entertain the registrants, pique the interest of their constituents to encourage them to register and spread awareness about voter registration. Comelec said this welcoming development is part of the poll body's dynamic and continuous service to the Filipino people. The Comelec Resolution promulgating this development will be issued as soon as possible.
For registered voters who belong to the vulnerable sectors including Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability, Persons Deprived of Liberty, Indigenous Peoples, and members of the Indigenous Cultural Communities, the issuance of Voter Certification will remain free of charge with all fees waived notwithstanding the announcement of free Voter Certification starting February 12, 2024. Hence, registered voters who belong to the vulnerable sectors can get their Voter Certification currently for free. Aside from being declared as the National Voter's Day, Feb. 12 also marks the start of the voter registration period for the 2025 NLE which will last until September 30, 2024.
A Filipino who is at least 18 years of age on Election Day (May 12, 2025), a resident of the Philippines for at least 1 year, and in the place wherein he/she proposes to vote for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the 2025 NLE, and not otherwise disqualified by law, can register as a voter. During the voter registration period, the Offices of the Election Officer (OEOS) nationwide will go out and immerse with the Filipino people in the course of the following:
• Offsite/Satellite Registration: to be conducted in barangays, malls, educational institutions, and other establishments
• Mall Registration
• Register Anywhere Program (RAP): to be conducted in all Capital Cities and Towns and Highly Urbanized Cities
• Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP): to be conducted in national government offices and agencies, schools and universities, and other public/private places.
The transfer of voter registration venues outside of the Comelec offices and closer to the Filipino people provides accessibility, convenience, and comfort with the end goal of ensuring massive voter participation. Comelec said that it will set up a Special Register Anywhere Program in Plaza Roma, Intramuros, Manila, Baclaran Church in Parañaque City, and other locations nationwide on Feb.12 in celebration of the National Voter's Day. Also, the COMELEC will join the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, specifically the Grand Floral Float Parade on February 25, 2024, to step-up its promotion about the voter registration and encourage people to register.
Moreover, the COMELEC will conduct "Voter Education and Registration Fair" in all 18 regions nationwide during the whole voter registration period in which a voter education and information activity/seminar will be held simultaneously in the same venue with the Satellite or Mall Registration, RAP, or SRAP. This activity aims to highlight the importance of voter registration, encourage the participants to register, and help them understand further their rights and responsibilities as voters. For the month of February, the Voter Education and Registration Fair will be conducted in the following locations:
• NCR: Pasay City and Quezon City
• CAR: Abra and Benguet (Baguio City)
• Region I: Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan
• Region II: Cagayan and Isabela
• Region III: Bulacan and Pampanga
• Region IV-A: Batangas and Quezon Province
• Region IV-B: Palawan
• Region V: Albay and Camarines Sur
• Region VI: Iloilo and Negros Occidental
• Region VII: Cebu
• Region VIII: Leyte
• Region IX: Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur
• Region X: Misamis Oriental
• Region XI: Davao City and Tagum City
• Region XII: Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato
• BARMM: Lanao del Sur and Basilan
"As we welcome the month of February with only 11 days remaining before the start of voter registration, the Comelec highly encourages all qualified Filipinos to register as a voter as early as February 12, 2024," Comelec said.
Source: mb.com.ph
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