New voters breach 2.5-M mark
The Comelec said there are currently 68 million registered voters in the country. The poll body is looking to add three million more voters.
Daily TribuneThe Comelec said there are currently 68 million registered voters in the country. The poll body is looking to add three million more voters.
(File photo)
The number of new registrants for the 2025 polls has breached the 2.5-million mark, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Based on the latest Comelec data, a total of 2,548,324 new voters have registered for next year’s polls.
Calabarzon and Metro Manila have the highest number of new registrants at 466,768 and 378,553, respectively. Central Luzon followed with 295,635 new registrants.
On the other hand, the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the lowest number of new voters at 32,552.
The Comelec main office, meanwhile, logged 4,839 new voters. It said there are currently 68 million registered voters in the country. The poll body is looking to add three million more voters.
Eligible Filipinos have until 30 September to register to vote in the 2025 polls.
Registration can be done at Comelec offices, satellite sites, or malls hosting the Registered Anywhere Program (RAP).
The RAP aims to speed up the registration process, with around 170 malls participating. Registration in RAP sites will be open until 31 August.
Comelec expects three million new voters for the 2025 elections, totaling 71 million.
Eligible voters must be 18 years old by 12 May 2025, residents of the Philippines for at least one year, and residents of the area where they plan to vote for at least six months before the election.
Applicants must complete the application form, which can be obtained at no cost from Comelec offices or downloaded from the Comelec website for printing on long bond paper (8 in. x 13 in.).
Alongside the application form, applicants must submit valid IDs with their signatures. Registrants must also furnish valid IDs that include their signature.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin M. Garcia said the withdrawal of filing of candidacy will only be until 8 October.
“Maybe from 1 to 8 October, that’s the filing of the candidacy, we will allow withdrawal, you can change. But after 8 (October), there will be no change of candidacy),” Garcia said during a press conference at Guimaras State University on Friday.
“Let’s stop fooling the people. File the candidacy, don’t pretend to be at the front,” he added.
Garcia, however, said that in the case of withdrawal, the poll body would allow the substitution in case of death or disqualification.
