THE Commission on Elections-Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) head said that there will be “no extension” for today’s deadline for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) voters’ registration.
Atty. Gay Enumerables said that Comelec has not advised its regional offices to extend the BSKE registration, which ends today, January 31.
“Wala po advisory sa amin (No advisory given to us) as of this time,” said Enumerables through a text message with SunStar Davao.
She also said that they will still follow the regular office hours for Comelec registration despite the deadline, even as more people are expected to flock to the Davao City Comelec main office at Magsaysay Park and at their satellite offices at every congressional district.
“The registration will still be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” she said.
For First District residents, the satellite registration site is located at SM City Davao while SM Lanang Premier for the Second District residents. Third district residents are advised to proceed to Magsaysay Park. However, there is also an allocated satellite area for them at SM Lanang.
Meanwhile, according to Welfred Morado, Election Assistant II of Comelec Davao - First District, they are expecting more voters to flock to their satellite office by the last day of registration.
“As of today (January 30), more or less 11,800 voters yung nagpunta dito sa ating site (sa SM Ecoland), with 800 plus duon is mga bata (went here in our site, with 800 plus residents are eligible youth voters),” Morado said.
“About 47 percent are new voters, 33 percent are from those who migrate from district to district, 14 percent are those people who transfer barangays within the (first) district, then six percent are reactivating voters,” he added.
First-time voter Kenneth Bulaga, who wore a school uniform while registering, said that he registered for BSKE because this is one of their school requirements.
“Kailangan man gud ni sya samong NSTP [National Service Training Program] pero syempre nagpa-register pod ko kay hapit na man ko mag-21 (This is needed for our NSTP but of course I registered as I am about to turn 21 years old),” he said.
Meanwhile, another first-time voter Ymmalen Madelo, said it is more accessible for her to register at the satellite registration sites.
“Base sa akong observation is dati [last year’s registration] didto lang siya sa Magsaysay Park, daghan kog madunggan na kailangan ka mangadlawon so hassle siya sa akong part (Based on my observation, the registration only takes place at Magsaysay Park in which you have to wake up early so for my part, it’s very hassle),” she said.
“Mas better man gud karon kay gi-by district na nila in which favorable siya sa akong part kay dili kaayo mi daghan na naa diri (It’s better that they had divided the voter’s registration per district, for my part, I don’t have to deal with flocks of people),” she added. ICE