Comelec urges public to make use of holiday break to register as voters

MANILA (PNA) -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday urged the public to take advantage of the holiday break to register to be able to participate in the succeeding elections in the country.Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said it would be good for the qualified voters to make use of the Christmas and New Year holiday break to register themselves to become voters. We hope they won't do it at the last minute to register. I think the holidays is a good opportunity for them to do so, he said after visiting their satellite voter registration activity in Taguig City on Wednesday.According to the schedule released by the Comelec, voter registration will be held from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, except on Dec. 24 and 25, 2016 and April 13 and 14, 2017.The continuing voter registration started on Nov. 7, 2016 and will run until April 29, 2017, for the 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.When Bautista was asked on the number of applicants after a month they started accepting application for registration, he said, I wouldn't say it is low. I would say it is regular. So we are satisfied. For the entire registration period, the Comelec is looking to register five million additional voters, including 3 million for the village elections and two million new youth voters. (PNA)BNB/FGP/EDS