TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Registration for the May 2025 national and local elections opened on February 12, 2024 at the Tabuk office of the Commission on Election (COMELEC), coinciding with the opening of the 5th Bodong Festival and 29th Kalinga Founding Anniversary celebrations.
All COMELEC offices are open to assist the public with registration in advance of the upcoming national and local elections in 2025, according to Election Officer Reyman Solbita.
In addition, Solbita stated that aside from voter registration, the COMELEC provides other services like submitting applications for transfer of residence, editing entries, and reactivating voters who have missed two elections in a row; reinstatement for those who have applied for voting from abroad; and voting inclusion for those who have been granted voting rights by the courts.
“Open ti COMELEC from 8am to 5pm from Mondays to Fridays,” Solbita said, adding that even on holidays, they are open, except on holy week.
Likewise, according to Solbita, the Tabuk office can cater to people who are unable to go home to their municipalities or city in the country.
“Daytuy ket nai-pattern iti maysa nga programa iti COMELEC tatta nga Register Anywhere Project (RAP),” he said.
Voters can register for the RAP anywhere in the Philippines by visiting the capital city or town of any province, per COMELEC mandate.
Another initiative being carried out by COMELEC-Tabuk to lessen the load on voters is Offsite registration, in which staff members would go to the many barangays in the city to complete registrations.
“Kayat ku ipakaammu kadagidiay barangay officials nga you choose a date for you nga adu tao idiay barangay yu ta no kasdiay ket saan nga sayang panag-umay ti COMELEC iti barangay yu. Masapul nasaganaan yu, naimpormaan yu amin residents ta mabalin nga idiay dantu ag-avail ti services to COMELEC idiay aldaw nga umayan mi,” he said.
In order to register for the next elections, a large turnout is anticipated by the COMELEC. By Edward Joseph Gacuya