Pangilinan: Let's get youth excited about registration Tumaya tayo sa bayan, magparehistro para makaboto: Kiko

MANILA - Senator Francis Pangilinan on Wednesday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to think of ways to make the youth enlist as voters in the new round of registration starting tomorrow, August 1.

According to Comelec, voter registration will run until September 30, with local Comelec offices open even on Saturdays and holidays.

"Kahapon, binuksan na ulit ang lotto. Pwede na ulit tumaya. Bukas, umpisa na ang voter registration. Sa mga kabataan, taya rin tayo sa bayan. Ipakita ang pag-ibig sa bayan. Magpa-rehistro (Lotto outlets were ordered to reopen yesterday. Betting resumes. Voter registration starts tomorrow. Young people should bet on our country. Show your love for her and register)," said the Liberal Party president.

The poll body targets around 2 million new voters to register.

"Abutin natin ang target na 2 milyong mga bagong botante. Dapat alam ng kabataan na kapag nagparehistro sila at bumoto, tumutulong silang tukuyin ang kinabukasan nila (Let's hit the target of 2 million new voters. The youth should realize that when they register and vote, they help determine their future)," Pangilinan said.

"Napakaraming problema ng ating bansa; hindi pwedeng hindi lumahok at umupo na lang sa tabi (So much is at stake in our country; non-participation and sitting on the sidelines is not among the options)," he added.

Pangilinan said the challenge is on Comelec to launch an effective information dissemination campaign to nudge the youth to enlist themselves as voters.

The campaign should reach rural communities, the nooks of urban centers, schools, even call-center offices where many of the millennials are, the senator said.

Pangilinan also broached the idea of setting up registration centers in malls, where there is a natural traffic of people.

"Kapag nagparehistro tayo at bumoto, makakapili tayo ng mga pinuno na pareho ng ating mga pinahahalagahan at nakikinig sa atin. Ganyan natin pinapalakas ang boses ng kabataan (When we register and vote, we choose leaders who share our values and listen to us. That's how we make the youth voice powerful)," he said.