The Sagada Commission on Election (COMELEC) urges qualified voters to register early for the upcoming national and local elections on May 9, 2022 between January 20, 2020 to September 30, 2021.
Joel L. Fiao-ag, election assistant II, said that since the duration of voters’ registration is long, there must be no reason for the qualified voters not to register and participate in the elections.
“The registration aims to legitimize voters become an authorized individual to choose and think for candidates,” said Fiao-ag.
According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government- Cordillera Administrative Region (DILG-CAR), Sagada had 6,632 total of polls back on the 2015 election.
In the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines as stated in Article XII also known as the “Registration of Voters” Section 116, “everyone with the complete and required documents, qualified voters, and are either new or old voters are the expected registrants in the list.”
Further, it is expected as citizens “to practice their right to suffrage which may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines.”
“Stressing that elections are a vital part of the country’s democracy, this is the time where Filipino voters can contribute to the pursuit of change,” said Ferdinand Patinio from the Philippines News Agency emphasizing the role of the voter’s to election related activities.
Fiao-ag added that availing the preceding 2020-2021 registration depends on the COMELEC’s set of qualifications.
Accordingly, the registrant must be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day and a resident in the Philippines for at least one year. Lastly, the registrant should be a resident for at least six months in the place where the individual proposes to vote.
Aside from the registration of new voters, the COMELEC also accepts transfer of registration records from other places, reactivation of registration record of those whose names were deactivated due to failure of voting in two consecutive elections, reinstatement of name on the list of voters, updating of registration records for Person with Disabilities (PWDs) and indigenous peoples, and has changes or corrections of entries in the registration record which are from single to married or vice versa and typographical errors or misspelled names and other erroneous entries
For smooth transactions, Fiao-ag reminded registrants to take with them their valid IDs, marriage certificate, and Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) or order by the court. All kinds of IDs are accepted except Barangay Clearance, Philippine National Police (PNP) Clearance, and Community Tax Certificate.
By Kate Colina