Comelec 7 recorded 318,390 voter applicants for the 2026 BSKE in Central Visayas, exceeding its regional target of 200,619 by 117,771 applicants.
Comelec 7 Assistant Director Veronico Petalcorin stated the registration period ended smoothly on May 18 without the overcrowding seen in previous elections.
Comelec 7 is coordinating with police authorities regarding security deployments since the November 2 election coincides with All Souls' Day observances.
MORE than 318,000 voter applicants registered in Central Visayas for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), allowing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 7 to exceed its target by more than 117,000 applicants.
Speaking during a media forum, Comelec 7 Assistant Director Veronico Petalcorin said the voter registration period for the Nov. 2, 2026 BSKE ended smoothly on Monday, May 18, without the overcrowding and confusion seen in previous elections.
Applicants appeared to have learned to register early instead of waiting for the final day, resulting in a more orderly process despite the summer heat that previously caused tension among registrants.
Registration exceeds target
Comelec 7 recorded 318,390 applicants during the registration period, consisting of 225,678 regular voter applicants and 92,712 SK voter applicants. The figure exceeded the regional target of 200,619 applicants.
Petalcorin said the region posted a performance rating of 158.70 percent, surpassing projections by 117,771 applicants. For regular voters, Comelec 7 projected 144,383 applicants but recorded 225,678, or 156.31 percent of the target. SK voter applicants also exceeded expectations, reaching 92,712 against a target of 56,236, or 164.86 percent of the projection.
He attributed the increase partly to aggressive information campaigns by media organizations and expanded satellite registration activities in barangays.
Cebu Province, including highly urbanized cities, posted the highest number of applicants in Central Visayas with 248,594 registrants, composed of 177,156 regular voters and 71,438 SK applicants. Bohol recorded 69,796 applicants, including 48,522 regular voters and 21,274 SK applicants.
Petalcorin noted that the figures were significant because Central Visayas now only covers Cebu and Bohol following the separation of Negros Oriental from the region. Many applicants were also transfer registrants changing barangays or localities rather than entirely new voters, while the region’s annual voter growth rate remained at around 1.5 percent.
Satellite registration
Satellite registration activities in barangays increased participation by bringing services closer to communities, Petalcorin said. Mall registration activities also helped because of their convenience and air-conditioned venues, although only a few malls in Region 7 participated.
Comelec 7 remains open to expanding mall voting and registration venues if more establishments agree to cooperate. Petalcorin also recalled that some registrants in previous elections expected transportation, food and money from political groups.
He jokingly described the Nov. 2 BSKE as “the most haunted election in Philippine history” because it coincides with All Souls’ Day, although he acknowledged concerns over its possible effect on voter turnout and security operations during Undas.
Preparations underway
Comelec 7 is coordinating with police authorities regarding deployment concerns because many police officers are assigned to cemeteries during All Souls’ Day observances. Barangay tanods and firefighters could instead help secure cemeteries to avoid reducing police visibility in voting centers, Petalcorin said.
It also released the official election timeline for BSKE 2026. Filing of certificates of candidacy is scheduled from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5, while the campaign period will run from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31. The election period will be from Oct. 3 to Nov. 9, with the liquor ban on Nov. 1 and Election Day on Nov. 2. The deadline for filing Statements of Contributions and Expenditures is Dec. 2.
Petalcorin reminded applicants that registration does not automatically guarantee voter status because all applications must still be approved by the Election Registration Board. Notices containing applicants’ names will be posted until May 21, while the deadline for filing oppositions was moved from May 28 to May 25. Hearings on applications and oppositions are scheduled on June 1.
Concerns over residency, vote-buying
The public was urged to report applicants allegedly residing outside the barangays where they seek to register, with Petalcorin stressing that residency requirements ensure voters and candidates are genuinely connected to the communities they intend to serve.
Complaints and oppositions must be filed physically because applicant lists will only be posted on official bulletin boards and not online to prevent tampering and misinformation on social media.
Petalcorin also noted that young voters continue to show strong interest in SK elections, especially in urban areas, although participation remains weaker in remote barangays where many residents study or work outside their hometowns. He also defended the civil service eligibility granted to SK officials, saying public service experience has value.
Vote-buying remains persistent in Philippine politics because poverty and weak political principles continue to make voters vulnerable to monetary influence, he said, urging voters, especially first-time voters, to become more discerning and avoid relying solely on misinformation online.
Comelec has yet to identify election hotspots because the filing of candidacies has not started. Barangay elections are often more volatile than local or national polls because candidates are usually relatives, neighbors or members of rival clans, Petalcorin added.
The Comelec 7 official also clarified that early public declarations of intent to run for office, including for the 2028 presidential race, are not prohibited by election laws because such statements remain expressions of intent until official candidacies are filed. A public official convicted in an impeachment trial would no longer be eligible to run for office, he added. / CAV