COMELEC to resume continuing registration of voters December 2

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections announced Friday the continuing registration of voters in all areas nationwide, except in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), shall resume beginning December 2, 2008 to December 15, 2009.

In Resolution No. 8514 promulgated November 12, 2008, the COMELEC en banc ruled to adopt the use of biometrics technology for the purpose of “establishing a clean, complete, permanent and updated list of voters.”

“Applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation and changes/corrections of entries in the registration records/inclusion of registration records/reinstatement of name in the list of voters, shall be personally filed beginning December 2, 2008 to December 15, 2009 at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) of the district/city/municipality where the applicant resides from Monday to Friday, during regular office hours at 8:00 o’clock AM to 5:00 o’clock PM,” the resolution stated.

The COMELEC will be deploying one (1) Data Capturing Machine in every Office of the City/Municipal Election Officer to facilitate the registration.

“The continued use of biometrics technology in the registration process proves that the Commission is determined to purge the voters list,” says COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez, adding that this move is also part of the poll body’s efforts to ensure the success of the 2010 national and local elections.

Jimenez said any Filipino citizen who is at least eighteen years of age and a resident of the Philippines for at least one (1) year, and in the place where he proposes to vote, for at least six (6) months on or before the day of the election; may register to vote. Deactivated voters may also apply for reactivation of their registration records during the period prescribed, he said.

Filing of applications for registration shall be done personally at the Office of the Election Officer. Applicants will be required to present valid identification cards such as employee’s ID; postal ID; Students ID; Senior Citizen’s ID; Drivers License; NBI/PNP clearance; Passport; SSS/GSIS ID; IBP ID, PRC license etc.