MABALACAT CITY -- The Commission on Election (Comelec) in this component city has reiterated the agency’s "No Bio, No Boto" policy.

Voters are required to undergo authentication by biometric verification under the new policy.

Maria Lourdes Alfaro, Comelec Mabalacat City head, said registered voters whose biometrics have not been captured must undergo validation on or before October 31, 2015.

“Otherwise they will not be allowed to vote on May 9, 2016 national and local elections,” she said.

Biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics like DNA, fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements especially for authentication purposes.

Based on reports, some 10,000 voters out of the 88, 897 registered voters (as of March 31, 2015) are not yet validated under the biometric system.

Alfaro said the agency will be "aggressive" in pursuing the "No Bio, No Boto" campaign pursuant to the requirements of Republic Act 10367, (An Act Providing For Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration) which was promulgated on June 26, 2013.

"The Act provides that registered voters whose biometrics data have not been captured shall submit themselves for validation in order to establish complete lists of voters with complete biometrics data for the May 2016 national and local elections," she said.

Voters who would fail to submit themselves for validation shall be deactivated and will only be able to apply for the reactivation of their registration records after the May 2016 elections, said Alfaro.

Biometric satellite systems were put up in the villages upon the request of barangay chairmen, the city Comelec chief said.