MANILA, Nov. 2 (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting a slow down in the number of registrants in the coming months or “lean months”.
Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said the decline in the number of registrants is expected during this period based on their experiences in previous continuing voter registration programs.
“Medyo nag slow down na nga ng konti, though marami pang dumarating on a daily basis, pero hindi tulad nung first months,” he added.
With this, Jimenez said they are worried that the slow down might affect their target to validate the biometrics of over nine million voters.
“Ito yung panahon na, historically, kumokonti ang mga nagpaparehistro na botante… Ngayon na lampas na sa first quarter, medyo matagal, mabagal na ito,” he added.
The poll body said that there are still six million voters that need to undergo validation five months after the continuing registration began in May.
Biometrics data refers to the automated identification of an individual particularly his/her photograph, fingerprint, and signature.
Comelec warned that failure to undergo validation will result to deactivation as provided by Republic Act No. 10367 or the Biometrics Voter Registration Act of 2013.
But, the Comelec official noted that they expected the number of registrants to surge in March, or later part of the first quarter.
“Historically, yan ang nakakita namin. Na pag papasok na ang summer, maraming nagpapa-register kasi maraming umuuwi sa bayan bayan nila, nagpapa-rehistro sila dun,” Jimenez said.
The system of continuing registration will continue until October 31, 2015. (PNA)