COMELEC suspends voter registration and validation from June 25 to July 31, 2012

Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

Manila

SUSPENSION OF THE SYSTEM OF CONTINUING REGISTRATION OF VOTERS AND VALIDATION OF REGISTRATION RECORDS IN SUCH AREAS AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x	BRILLANTES, Sixto S., Jr. SARMIENTO, Rene V. TAGLE, Lucenito N. VELASCO, Armando C. YUSOPH, Elias R. LIM, Christian Robert S.	Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner
	Promulgated:  June 8, 2012

ARMM Voters Registration to Resume March 5

The system of continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will commence on March 5, 2012 and will end on October 31, 2012, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced Thursday.

The COMELEC en banc, in Resolution No. 9338 promulgated January 25, 2012, ordered the resumption of voters’ registration in the ARMM in order to “give the Commission sufficient time for the conduct of pre-election activities and other preparations in connection with the May 13, 2013 elections.”

To recall, the COMELEC, September last year, deferred the voters list up in the Region which was originally slated to start on October 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012, “due to the pendency of the case questioning the legality of Republic Act 10153 on the synchronization of the ARMM elections with the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections and in anticipation of the conduct of the ARMM elections at a later date.”

The Supreme Court has ruled on the legality of the synchronization of the ARMM elections with that of the May 13, 2013 elections, thus upholding the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153 and an Officer-in-Charge has already been designated in the Region.

Resolution No. 9279 - Reception of Multi-Type Voter Applications

Resolution No. 9279

RECEPTION OF MULTI-TYPE OF APPLICATIONS SUCH AS:  

(1) TRANSFER WITH REACTIVATION AND CORRECTION OF ENTRIES; 

(2) REACTIVATION WITH CORRECTION OF ENTRIES; AND (3) TRANSFER WITH CORRECTION OF ENTRIES, IN CONNECTION WITH THE RESUMPTION OF THE SYSTEM OF CONTINUING REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN THE NON-ARMM AREAS

WHEREAS, in Resolution No. 9149 dated February 22, 2011, the Commission on Elections promulgated Rules and Regulations for the Resumption of the System of Continuing Registration of Voters and Validation of Registration in the Non-ARMM Areas;

WHEREAS, said Resolution covers the reception of applications for registration, transfer from another district/city and municipality, transfer within the same city/municipality, reactivation, reactivation with transfer, reinstatement in the list of voters, inclusion of registration record in the Book of Voters, correction of entries and validation;

WHEREAS, in the first quarter of registration period it was observed that various applicants filed more than one or multi-type of applications with the Office of the Election Officers such as (1) transfer with reactivation and correction of entries, (2) reactivation with correction of entries, (3) and transfer with correction of entries.  The said nature of applications is not covered in the existing rules and regulations and current Voter Registration System (VRS) installed in the voter Registration Machines (VRMs);

WHEREAS, in view of the absence of the rules and regulations and the applicable system to serve the multi-type of applications, the applicants were required to return back to the Office of the Election Officers on the next quarter of registration period to complete the other transaction, thereby causing inconvenience to the voters;

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act No. 8189 and other related laws, the Commission on Elections has RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to adopt the following guidelines, by way of supplemental to the existing rules and regulations in Resolution No. 9149, in order to accommodate multi-type of applications and to avoid inconvenience to the applicant-voters in connection with the continuing registration of voters in Non-ARMM areas:

  

A.   During the registration period, the Election Officers/Acting Election Officers/Election Assistants shall:

1. Accept and process applications for transfer with reactivation and correction of entries, reactivation with correction of entries; and transfer with correction of entries.  The procedures embodied in Resolution No. 9149 in so far as the manner of the reception, verification of the applications filed and the taking of demographics and biometrics data if necessary shall be strictly observed;
2. The voter-applicants shall accomplish the prescribed forms corresponding to the types of transaction applied for; and 
3. The total number of multi-type of applications filed in the Office of the Election Officer shall be reflected in the Quarterly Progress Report.

B.     The Information Technology Department shall facilitate the necessary changes in the program/system to incorporate the above multi-type of applications in the VRM.

Let the Election and Barangay Affairs Department and Information Technology Department implement this Resolution.

SO ORDERED.

	SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR. Chairman
RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner		LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner
ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner		ELIAS R. YUSOPH Commissioner
CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM Commissioner		AUGUSTO C. LAGMAN Commissioner

Voter registration and validation of registration records resumes today

Voter registration and validation of registration records in areas not within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) resumed on Tuesday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

The continuing registration in non-ARMM areas was supposed to resume on April 1, 2011 but was moved to May 3, 2011.  It will end on Oct. 31, 2012.

However, the Comelec said voter registration will take a short break from Dec. 22, 2011 to Jan. 3, 2012.  The next national elections will be conducted in May 2013.

In Comelec Resolution 9168, the poll body said voter registration was reset because their regional election directors needed more time to procure and deliver voter application forms to the offices of provincial election supervisors.

Comelec Resolution 9149 says that voters not yet registered are required to personally file at the Office of the Election Officer in the city or municipality where the applicant resides their applications for:

  registration;

  transfer of registration records;

  change or correction of entries in the registration records;

  reactivation of registration records;

  inclusion of registration records, or 

  reinstatement of name in the list of voters.

Registration hours

The Comelec said applications will be received from Monday to Saturday, including holidays, during regular office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

However, it said satellite registrations for detainee voters in detention centers shall also be conducted beginning January 12, 2012 to "ensure wider voter participation."

However, the Comelec announced in a separate resolution that resumption of voter registration in 10 municipalities in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur will be moved to July 1, 2011 since the poll body still has to conduct special elections in the area on May 28.

The 10 municipalities are: Bantay, Cabugao, Caoayan, Magsingal, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Sta. Catalina, Sinait, and Vigan City.

On the other hand, the 10-day voter registration for the August 2011 ARMM polls ended last March 31.

Requirements

The poll body said any Filipino citizen who is at least 18 years old, a resident for at least one year in the place where he intends to vote – for at least six months immediately preceding the election day – may file an application for registration.

Applicants need only bring any valid ID when they register, such as but not limited to:

  Current employee’s ID, with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;

  Postal ID;

  Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority;

  Senior citizen’s ID;

  Driver’s license;

  NBI/PNP clearance;

  Passport;

  SSS/GSIS ID;

  Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID, and

  License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC).

The Comelec reminded applicants that community tax certificates (cedula) and barangay certifications will not be honored as valid identification documents. - VVP, GMA News