VOTER registration for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), rescheduled by law to Nov. 2, 2026, resumed across the country on Oct. 20, 2025, with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) aiming for 1.4 million new voters.
The registration period runs until May 18, 2026, with offices and satellite sites open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications are accepted for new voters, SK voters (15 to 17 years old as of election day), transfers, reactivation, and correction of records.
In Mandaue City, hundreds flocked to the Comelec office after registration opened. Election Officer Atty. Anna Fleur C. Abelgas-Gujilde confirmed the office processed 521 applicants on Oct. 21, noting the high turnout was fueled by effective information dissemination.
A new feature, the Register Anywhere Program (RAP), is now available in Mandaue, allowing applicants to register regardless of their city or municipality of residence.
Comelec Region VII Director Atty. Francisco Pobe defended the Nov. 2 election date, which coincides with All Souls’ Day, saying it would not interfere with Filipino traditions. Pobe noted the date is not a holiday and reasoned that holding the polls while voters are already in their home provinces to observe the holiday is a “good opportunity” for participation.
Applicants need a birth certificate or valid identification for new registration, while those updating records need proof of address or changes in civil status. / ABC with Bryce Ken Abellon, USJ-R intern