Senators thanked COMELEC for heeding the calls to extend the voter registration period.
On Wednesday, senators thanked the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for heeding the calls to extend the voter registration period for the 2022 elections.
In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the senators thanked Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas and the Commission on Elections for hearing the call not just of Congress but of the Filipino people.
According to Zubiri, judging by the packed lines at the registration sites, many Filipinos really wanted to vote and they deserved the chance to do so.
For her part, Senator Risa Hontiveros said that the Comelec’s move was “a win for all Filipinos”.
Hontiveros said in a separate statement that the Comelec’s decision remained true to the spirit of democracy because the Senate, the Congress, and the poll body heeded the call of the people: “To have our voices heard and to allow us to genuinely partake in paving the path to our future”.
READ ALSO: Voter Registration Extended by Comelec from October 11 to 30
Senator Grace Poe also praised the Commission on Elections for exercising flexibility and utmost understanding “when the exigencies of the pandemic demanded it”.
“We hope the period of extension will be maximized to provide additional registration sites and to make available more personnel to ease the process of assisting our people,” Senator Poe proposed.
Following pressure from Congress, the poll body announced that it will reopen the registration for voters after the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COCs) from October 1 to 8.
According to the Comelec, the voter registration period will resume on October 11 from Monday to Friday, except for the last day on October 30, 2021.
Senators encouraged the public to take advantage of the extended voter registration period and to vote in next year’s polls.
“2022 is a rare opportunity to show up for each others’ health, livelihood and wellbeing. We must seize it,” Senator Hontiveros said.
The House of Representatives and the Senate have passed a bill that would compel the poll body to extend the registration period for another month.
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