Press Release
September 27, 2021

Hontiveros appeals to Comelec chair to further extend
1-week extension for voter registration

Senator Risa Hontiveros has pressed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on one week extension for voter registration, saying that failure to further move the deadline to at least three weeks will cause voter disenfranchisement.

"Because of the many lockdowns, Comelec had to suspend voter registration in many areas. And with the original deadline fast approaching, we fear that many eligible voters will miss the opportunity to choose their leaders in 2022 simply because they failed to beat the deadline to register," she said.

"That is clearly preventing our citizens from exercising their right to vote," Hontiveros added.

During the budget hearing of Comelec, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas politely rejected the request to extend the registration until 31st of October as it will allegedly delay the election timeline. Instead, Abas proposed to extend the period of registration, only for first time voters and only for a week after the filling of Certificate of Candidacy.

"If Comelec is willing to extend it for a week, bakit hindi pa i-extend up to three weeks? In the previous elections, 2016 and 2019, they were able to set the deadline to at least October 31. Bakit hindi kayang gawin ngayong taon na dapat nga mas may leeway tayo dahil sa pandemic. One week is neither meeting halfway nor compromise as Comelec claims to be offering. Yung three weeks, after the filing of the COCs is more reasonable," Hontiveros stated.

The potential disenfranchisement has led Congress to pass a concurrent resolution urging Comelec to extend the voter registration until 31 October 2021. Last week, the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2408 which seeks to extend voter registration until the last day of October.

Hontiveros hopes that the Comelec would heed the call of the lawmakers as well as the public for a more reasonable period of voter registration extension to ensure that more Filipinos are able to participate in the upcoming elections.

"Voting is difficult now with the challenges of the pandemic as backdrop. Don't make it any more taxing for our kababayans to fulfill the most basic act of their citizenship," she said.

"Nakita natin kung paanong ang marami sa mga kababayan natin ang pumipila ng maghapon at gumigising ng madaling-araw para lang makapagparehistro. They are doing their part and Comelec should do theirs as well: extend registration and fix their deadlines. No excuses. We are willing to support them." she concluded.

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