The House of Representatives filed a bill extending voter’s registration from September 30 to October 31 this year for the 2022 national and local elections. 

Top leaders of the House, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano said that the extension aims to give more Filipinos a chance to register, so as not to deprive them of voting amid the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In order to avoid massive disenfranchisement, they [COMELEC] must extend the period for voter registration until 31 October 2021. This is also to give leeway to Filipinos whose registration were delayed because of the prevailing circumstances,” they said. 

They emphasized that it is essential for the Filipinos to vote in the 2022 elections as it is their basic right and within their power to determine who the next leader of our country will be. 

“As a basic precept of democracy, each of our kababayans must be given the utmost and widest opportunity to participate in the electoral process,” they added.

If there was no pandemic, according to the house leaders, this matter would have been resolved immediately; however, the pandemic made an impact on every Filipinos’ life and forced them to delay their registration last 2020 and also this year. 

“The public health crisis has been prolonged and many prospective voters have been forced to delay their registration this year and in 2020.” The House Leaders stated. 

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms during Wednesday’s session.

Photo Credit: Facebook/HouseofRepsPH