ONE month before the closing of the voter's registration, the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Davao said it is extending its registration hours to cater to more applicants in the 2022 national elections.
Lawyer Gay Enumerables, Comelec-Davao assistant regional director, said the registration had been extended for two hours on Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Enumerables also said their office is also now open during Saturdays and holidays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aside from the voter registration, she said their office will also be catering reactivation of voter's accounts and transfer of polling precincts.
In addition, Comelec recently issued Resolution 10715, allowing the online reactivation of voter data for people who failed to participate in the past two consecutive elections.
This is part of the poll body’s efforts to make reactivation of voter data easier for the voters who were deactivated, in adjustment with the current Covid-19 situation in the country.
Enumerables said people with deactivated voter data can apply for online reactivation as long as their complete biometrics data is still in the database of the city, municipality, or district where they are filing the application.
But she said first-time voters are excluded since they do not have any biometrics data from Comelec.
Enumerables said they are catching up with the lost days their operation was suspended when Davao City was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
According to the Comelec guidelines, all transactions in areas under enhanced community quarantine and MECQ are temporarily suspended and all employees are under work from home scheme to avoid mass gatherings in their offices.
Comelec registration in Davao City was also affected when the city government issued Executive Order (EO) 30 -- prohibiting face-to-face government transactions and activities. The city eventually excluded Comelec registration under the EO after the latter appealed for an exemption.
“Mao ginahaw-ag nako ang mga tao, kung kamo wala pa karehistro, or gusto mo mag-transfer sa inyong (I am encouraging the public, especially those who have not registered, or those who wanted to transfer their) registration records, bisita namo sa among (visit your nearest) Comelec offices,” Enumerables said in a virtual press.
Enumerables said they will no longer be extending the registration beyond September 30.
From 2020 until June 30, 2021, the Comelec had already processed a total of 247,246 applications, including new registrations, reactivation of voter's accounts, and transfer of polling precincts.
Meanwhile, the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) will be in the first week of October. Due to the limited space of Comelec offices, Enumerables said Comelec officers will be given authority to scout for a spacious area for the filing of COC.
She said it will not be as festive as in the past as they will limit the number of individuals who can witness the candidate's filing of COC.