[ad_1]
The mayors of Metro Manila are now pushing to postpone voter registration within their jurisdiction until next year to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) within their jurisdictions.
However, the Elections Commission (Comelec) opposed the recommendation, as it could lead to more people lining up at its office during the shorter registration period.
In an online briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Metro Manila Council (MMC) appealed to the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infections (IATF) to postpone the registration period until January 2021 o until it is placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
“This is subject to approval by the IATF,” said Roque.
Comelec spokesman James Jiménez said they do not agree with the recommendation as voter registration has already been suspended for six months due to community quarantine in the National Capital Region (NCR).
If the IATF approves the MMC proposal, it said it will allow only 9 months for would-be voters to register for the 2022 elections.
“The effect of that will be that people crowd around the deadline because they couldn’t register earlier,” Jiménez explained in an interview with CNN Philippines.
“It is much safer for us to extend the registration period for a longer period than to block it for a short period. Even if you are under GCQ, but you are forcing people to crowd, you may be losing whatever gains you have, “he added.
Voter registration began Tuesday and is scheduled to end on September 30, 2021.
During the first day of the resumption of voter registration, Jiménez said that there were still few applicants.
He said they expect it to increase in the coming days.
