Comelec resumes voter registration for 2022 national and local elections

September 1, 2020

Persons without any face shields, face masks and their own pens will not be allowed to register in their Commission on Elections (Comelec) areas as voter registration for the 2022 national and polls resumed Tuesday after being suspended for six months.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said all applicants will also be required to fill out a "Health Declaration Form", which discloses information relating to travel, contact with people with known COVID-19 infection, and symptoms they have.

Registration ends on September 30, 2021.

For the local voter registration, Comelec Resolution No. 10674 said the resumption of voter registration will not take place in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ (MECQ).

"In areas currently under ECQ or MECQ, voter registration will automatically resume once the quarantine status is either downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ), modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), or if quarantine is lifted entirely," said the Comelec

"Voter registration in areas not currently under quarantine, or which are under MGCQ or GCQ, shall automatically be suspended upon the upgrading of their quarantine status to MECQ or ECQ," it added.

Applications for registration may be submitted from Tuesday to Saturday, 8 am to 3 pm, at the local Offices of the Election Officer (OEOs).

Jimenez said all applicants are encouraged to download the application forms from www.comelec.gov.ph; and have them filled out, except the signature part, before going to the Comelec office for registration.

"It is strongly recommended that downloaded forms be filled out before going to the Comelec office for registration. But the forms should be signed only in front of the Election Officer, at the Comelec office," said Jimenez.

As for overseas voter registration, the Commission's Resolution No. 10677 said Filipinos, who will be overseas from April 9 to May 9, 2022, may register as overseas voters but only at the Office for Overseas Voting at the Comelec head office located at the ground floor of the Palacio del Gobernador Building in Intramuros.

"Filipinos, who are already abroad, can check with the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate in their area as to the schedule for overseas voter registration," it said

Comelec said applicants for overseas voter registration may file their applications at the Office for Overseas Voting from Mondays to Thursdays, excluding holidays, 8 am to 4 pm, but strictly by appointment only.

In booking an appointment, applicants can do so by ending an email to overseas voting www.comelec.gov.ph; sending a direct message via Facebook Messenger (fb.com/overseasvotingph); by calling telephone numbers 0285222251 or 0285212952; or sending a text message to mobile numbers +639518759882 (TNT/Smart/Sun) or +63 905 034 5158 (TM/Globe).

"After receiving a request for appointment booking, OFOV staff will confer with the applicant regarding the type of transaction requested, and refer them to the proper form. The form must be filled out, except for the oath portion. An advance copy of the form must be sent to the OFOV, after which the applicant will receive a notice from OFOV confirming his or her appointment," said Jimenez.  DMS