(PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA – Over 1 million Filipinos have already applied to become registered voters for the May 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) barely a month after registrations started.
Latest data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) revealed that 1,027,572 individuals have submitted their applications from Feb. 12 to March 6.
The highest number of applicants was recorded in Calabarzon (Region 4-A) with 187,372, followed by National Capital Region with 156,990; Central Luzon (Region 3) with 111,681; Central Visayas (Region 7) with 79,552; and Davao Region (Region 11) with 63,998.
The regions with the lowest number of registrants are the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 11,403; Mimaropa (Region 4-B) with 20,554; and Caraga (Region 13) with 28,070.
The poll body projected that some 3 million individuals will apply to become registered voters during the seven-month voter registration period that will end on Sept. 30, 2024.
Meanwhile, Comelec chairman George Garcia said they will only hold a plebiscite for the creation or division of municipalities until July this year, as they continue to prepare for the May 2025 polls.
“Ibig sabihin kung hindi aabot at hindi magiging mabilis ang proseso, hindi na po namin makakayang magdaos ng isang plebesito lampas ng July ng 2024 (It means that if the process is not expedited, we will not be able to hold plebiscites beyond July 2024),” he said in an interview.
“Ang Comelec ay nasa kainitan at taas ng paghahanda namin para sa 2025 national and local polls, at may posibilidad, base sa mga ugong-ugong, na plebisito para sa pagbabago ng Saligang Batas (The Comelec is in the midst of preparation for the 2025 national and local polls, and there is the possibility, based on reports, of a plebiscite for the amendment of the Constitution),” Garcia added.
Incidentally, the Comelec will be holding a plebiscite on Saturday in Marawi City for the proposed creation of three additional barangays.
Registered voters numbering to 2,265 in Barangays Patani, Kilala and Dulay Proper will be voting if they are in favor or not of creating Barangays Sultan Corobong, Sultan Panoroganan, and Angoyao.
The voting period will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. to be held in eight clustered precincts in three voting centers.
After the end of voting hours, the counting of votes shall immediately commence, to be followed by the canvassing of plebiscite returns and the proclamation of the result.
Under the proposal, Barangay Sultan Corobong is to be taken from the mother Barangay of Dulay Proper; Barangay Sultan Panoroganan from the mother Barangay of Kilala; and Barangay Angoyao from the mother Barangay of Patani. (PNA)
