Manila voter registration for 2025 polls poses positive turnout, Comelec says 

ALMOST a month after kicking off the voter’s registration for the 2025 midterm elections, Manila’s Commission on Elections (Comelec) unit reported ‘positive’ results towards achieving their goal with a recorded turnout of 9,772 new Manileño voters as of March 1.  

Jerico Jimenez, the election officer for Manila’s third district, said they expect a 4.41 percent increase from the previous 68 million nationwide voters in the last registration period.  

The main Comelec office has a target of three million new Filipino voters, which could result in a total of 71 million registered voters by the end of the registration period on Sep. 30. 

Seventeen days after the registration period began last Feb. 12, the Manila Comelec unit showed that District 1, which caters to barangays 1 to 146 in Tondo’s western area, accumulated 3,463 new voters, the highest among the six districts.  

Marijune Uriarte, the first district election officer, noted that the youth and senior citizen sectors contributed a huge percentage of new voters in last year’s registration. 
 

District 2, which covers barangays 147 to 267 in Tondo’s eastern area, recorded 1,595 registrants.  

District 6, which houses Sta. Mesa, San Miguel, Paco, Pandacan, and the Santa Ana areas, collected 1,488 new voters.  

Meanwhile, District 5, which caters to Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Port Area, and San Andres, shared 1,094 new registrants.  

District 4, which consists of the Sampaloc area, listed 1,070 new voters.  

Binondo, San Nicolas, Sta. Cruz, and Quiapo, which are all part of District 3, gained 1,062 voters as of March 1, the lowest among the six congressional districts. 

Jimenez said that these numbers are based only on the new voter registration data, which excludes other classifications such as the correction of names, reactivated voters, and transfer of voter documents.  

Aside from local election sites, Comelec also launched the Register Anywhere Program (RAP) registration sites, where voter aspirants can easily register in accessible areas such as malls, schools, and churches.  

Around 170 malls across the country have signed up for RAP.  

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in a Philippine Star report that this “will result in a speedier process where a registrant can finish their [application] in just under 10 minutes.” 

RAP, however, will only be available until the end of August, a month before the completion of the registration period.  

“Sa RAP kasi pwede ka na mag-register anywhere [...] kung nasa Tagaytay ka [at] naisipan mo mag-register [doon], pwede ka na mag-register doon,” Jimenez said, adding that there are no changes in the registration process as the requirements remain the same.  

Second district election officer Jean Rodriguez noted that convenience is even provided since voters can easily register anywhere.  

“Actually ano ‘eh, tinanggalan nga sila ng burden na pumunta pa nang malayo, so kumbaga wala ka nang mai-rarason bakit hindi ka nakapag-register,” she added. 

To register, new voters must fill out the completed application form, which can be accessed through the Comelec website, be at least 18 years old on the day of the elections, and present any government-issued identification cards bearing their signature. 

‘No registration extension’ 

Given the seven-month registration period, Manila Comelec Election officers said that a registration extension will no longer be needed since this is “already enough” time for voters.  

For Rodriguez, the Comelec has to follow the number of days allotted for the registration period.  

“Meron kasi tayong sinusunod na number of days [na] dapat before ng national elections, hindi na nag co-conduct ng registration,” Rodriguez said.  

“May legal impediment kaya hindi ka pwede extend nang extend,” Jimenez added. 

However, Jimenez said they are aware of “Filipino time,” or Filipinos’ habit of doing things at the last minute.  

“[K]ung maraming mag-re-register nang mas maaga, hindi kailangan mag-extend. [Pero] kung mag papaka-Pilipino ‘yung mga Pilipino, wala [na] sa amin ‘yung problema pag dating diyan, nasa tao [na],” the lawyer said. – Janica Kate J. Buan