The ongoing implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ in many locations around the country due to Covid-19 puts a lot of toll and delays in the whole voter registration process in the country. Together with the Senate, Congress, and other civil society organisations, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joins the call to extend the deadline of voter registration in the Philippines.

While we recognise that the proposed extension may further delay the preparatory activities of the Commission on Election (Comelec) to ensure the smooth conduct of the automated elections in May 2022, the CHR asserts that eligible voters must be given the opportunity to register safely and to avoid any case of voter disenfranchisement. Given the current health and economic crises that we are confronted with, reasonable accommodations must be provided for individuals that experience difficulty in lodging their applications.

There are valid concerns that prohibit people to go out and register. Apart from the fear of contracting the virus, there have been reports that registrants endure long hours of queuing while others complain that there is a cut-off time in different polling precincts with varying number of slots to be accommodated. Some also expressed that they lack the financial means to travel from their places of residence to designated precincts. These expressed barriers must be addressed by the government.

In the Supreme Court case of Kabataan Party List vs. Comelec (G.R. No. 189868, 15 December 2009), the SC ruled “that voters be allowed to register daily during regular offices hours, except during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election.” If solely based on this decision, the Comelec has the prerogative to set the deadline of voter registration before 09 January 2022.

The Commission commends the Comelec for making necessary adjustments to accommodate the restrictions caused by Covid-19 such as establishing satellite registration centres in shopping malls; extending the voter registration hours; reactivation of voter records who were not able to vote in the last two years, among others.

Despite these changes, the Commission believes that the Comelec could do more by extending the deadline of voter registration for at least a month after the 30 September 2021 deadline. It would encourage people to register and would enable them to fully exercise their constitutionally-recognised fundamental right to suffrage and political participation.

Likewise, we also hope that the same accommodation will be afforded to the most vulnerable populations in the country including people deprived of liberty, persons with disability, older persons, among others. ###