Comelec-Cebu laments low voter registration turnout

CEBU CITY—Avoid long lines, register now.

This was the advice of the Commission on Elections-Cebu Province as it reminded the public that the registration for the 2022 elections is already underway.

Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, provincial election supervisor of Comelec-Cebu, disclosed that the number of new registrants was way below of the agency’s projection.

“We have not even reach one percent of our targeted five percent increase of new voters,” said Castillano.

Castillano said the number of voters who were delisted for failing to vote in two successive elections was even higher than the new registrants.

“We have a lot of catching up to do,” said Castillano.

Castillano said the current health crisis heavily contributed to the low turnout of new registrants.

The registration started in the early part of 2020 but was halted due to the pandemic. It resumed in August but the turnout of registrants has been minimal, Castillano said.

To accommodate more registrants, the Comelec-Cebu has adjusted the schedule of registration.

From the old schedule of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, Comelec-Cebu offices are already open for registration from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday.

“We are advising the public to avoid last-minute registration. Register while there are no long lines yet. It’s better to register now while there is no crowding in offices yet so that we can properly observe the physical distancing protocol,” Castillano said.