Around 200,000 Filipinos have so far registered to vote in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.
“For us, whether we reach our one million target, it doesn’t matter. When we opened our registration from 12 February to 30 September, we reached 2.2 million voters. Now, it’s only been 10 days and we’re targeting one million,” Comelec chairperson George Garcia told reporters in Filipino.
The Comelec chief said they would still be thankful whether or not they reach the one million target voter registrants by 10 August.
“If you think about it, if the period were longer, we would have more voters,” Garcia said. Through Comelec’s Special Register Anywhere Program, the poll body has brought its registration to select train stations.
Garcia said that 75 percent of voter registrants at some train stations were first-time voters. “Since Friday, the turnout has been overwhelming, especially among the youth,” Garcia said.
“Last Saturday in Baclaran, the elderly grandparents and parents accompanied their children. That is a good indication that the youth are being encouraged to register,” he added.
Comelec kicked off the 10-day nationwide voter registration for the 2025 BSKE on Friday, 1 August.
Applicants may register from Monday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at any satellite registration site or their respective Comelec Office.
On Saturday, Garcia said the poll body would continue preparations for the BSKE despite its postponement.
He added that they will not stop the procurement of 60,000 ballot boxes and other election materials.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to sign into law on 12 Aug. a proposed bill seeking to reschedule the 2025 BSKE — originally set for 1 December 2025 — to December 2026.