MORE than 5.1 million Filipinos have applied to become registered voters ahead of Monday’s (May 18, 2026) deadline for the voter registration period for the November 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Based on the latest data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), there are now a total of 5,142,336 applications for voter registration received across all regions from October 20 to May 16.
Seeing the most number of applicants is Calabarzon with 838,520 individuals.
Other regions with high number of voter registrants are Central Luzon with 574,223, the National Capital Region with 562,879, and Bicol Region with 302,789.
Meanwhile, the Register Anywhere/Anytime Program has 11,394 applicants.
In a phone interview, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said there are thousands of applicants who went to Offices of Election Officers (OEOs) or satellite registration sites during the final day of voter registration.
"There were still a lot of people who came even though our registration reopened on October 20, 2025, or seven months ago," said Laudiangco.
Nevertheless, the poll official said there were no untoward incidents recorded during the final day of the voter registration period.
"Even though there were so many people, the queues remain orderly, there was no chaos, and the situation was peaceful, although the lines were indeed long," said Laudiangco. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
