MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said the number of registered voters for the 2025 midterm polls might reach 68 million.
This is based on the prevailing trend of the ongoing voter sign-up activities, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
He said 4,827,794 individuals have applied to become registered voters as of July 30.
"If all the new applicants get approved, it will not be impossible for us to reach 66 to 68 million come the May 2025 elections," he said.
Based on Comelec's latest data, Calabarzon has the most number of applications processed with 801,784.
It is followed by the National Capital Region with 650,683; and Central Luzon with 557,082.
Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the lowest number of applications with 64,613.
Laudiangco, meanwhile, said reactivation of voter status for deactivated voters has been made easier.
He said forms can be obtained from Comelec offices or downloaded from the Comelec's website for free.
"Go to the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) in your area or go to our Register Anywhere Program sites. They can check its locations on our Facebook page or our website. You can apply for reactivation there. You can also scan your filled up forms and send them via e-mail to the e-mail address of the OEO in your area. Once your e-mail has been received, our election officers will pick a schedule for your oath-taking as a voter via video conference," Laudiangco said.
Comelec earlier activated some 5 million voters for various reasons, most of whom failed to vote in the last two consecutive elections.
Voter registration activities are held Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in all OEO nationwide.
The voter registration period will end on Sept 30.
Nearly 392K voters ‘deleted’
The poll body has also deleted 391,497 registered voters less than a year ahead of the midterm polls.
Out of the figure, 208,996 voters were deleted due to death.
Meanwhile, 43,167 registered voters have also been deleted for having multiple/double registration, while 97,169 were deleted after their transfer to another city/municipality.
A total of 40,790 voters have also been deleted after they became overseas voters.
Laudiangco urged the public to report the death of their loved ones to the Commission.
"We appeal to the public to inform us if you have relatives who passed away so that we can exclude them in the voters list and nobody else can vote using their names," he added.
Surigao Sur plebiscite
Meanwhile, the Comelec on Wednesday started printing the plebiscite paraphernalia at the National Printing Office for the creation of a barangay in the municipality of Barobo in Surigao del Sur.
The accountable forms to be printed for Aug. 10 plebiscite include official ballots, 2,574 pieces; plebiscite returns, five sets; Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation by the Plebiscite Board of Canvassers and Statement of Votes by Precinct.
The plebiscite will be held pursuant to Republic Act 11986 titled "An Act Creating a Barangay in the Municipality of Barobo, Province of Surigao del Sur, To Be Known as Barangay Guinhalinan". (PNA)
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