THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will put up special satellite registrations for the 2020 barangay and youth councils elections to serve members of the vulnerable sectors.

The move would empower them to vote, said the Comelec.

Promulgated on July 18, 2019, Comelec Resolution 10549 provides for the rules and regulations on the resumption of the system of continuing registrations of voters.

Section 9 of the resolution provides for the conduct of exclusive satellite registration for the youth, senior citizens, women, persons deprived of liberty, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and members of indigenous peoples, indigenous cultural communities and other vulnerable sectors.

“These are the sectors that would be given special attention by the Commission to create inclusiveness in the elections,” Cebu Provincial Elections Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano told SunStar Cebu.

Castillano said they will set special voter registration dates to serve members of these sectors. However, due to time constraints and limited resources, Castillano said they may still cater to regular clients in the special satellite registrations.

The voter registration and update of existing registration records will happen on Aug. 1-Sept. 30, 2019.

“The women, senior citizens and PWDs, among others, will be given priority. All others will have to take the back seat. We only have 60 days for the voter registration, so we have to maximize the time,” Castillano said.

For the special satellite registration, the election officer shall coordinate with the concerned non-government organization network or its affiliate organizations, the Comelec said. (RTF)