Last Sept. 6, voter registration in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine resumed, giving eligible voters in high-risk areas more time to sign up for the 2022 elections that will determine the country’s leaders for the next six years.
It’s a compromise offered by the Commission on Elections for refusing to extend the registration deadline beyond Sept. 30 despite calls from lawmakers and civil society groups. Previously, signups were not allowed in MECQ areas.
For Rodel Diones, Sept. 6 was the day he finally got back to work. The 39-year-old is a staff at the local Comelec office in the town of Mariveles, home to over 70,000 eligible voters, the biggest in the province of Bataan.
Voter registration in Mariveles was suspended as early as June when the province was placed under MECQ. Despite the threat of COVID-19, Diones knows the significance of their work to ensure that residents of the town could exercise their right to vote.
“Kailangan namin gawin yung trabaho namin,” he told reportr. “Mahalaga talaga magparehistro para mapili natin kung sino yung mamumuno sa atin tsaka magamit natin yung karapatan natin.”
Registration is the first step to participate in what could be the most important elections of our generation. And with the Comelec projecting at least 230,000 more people will register before Sept. 30, there is no better way to prepare for the process than to know all the possible scenarios, Diones said.
So, what can you expect when you register to vote during MECQ?
Prepare for long lines
As voter registration was suspended for over a month in MECQ areas, people will definitely flock their local Comelec office upon its resumption, so be ready to fall in line.
“Itong kababalik na registration, talagang dinudumog,” Diones said.
In fact, Diones said that on Sept. 6, they registered a total 128 individuals despite setting a limit of only 70 applicants for the day. They even had to ask help from the mayor’s office to provide additional chairs and shelter for applicants who patiently waited for their turn to register.
The case is the same in Metro Manila, which saw a heavy turnout of registrants in many Comelec offices, spokesperson James Jimenez said.
“Long queues formed outside many offices. In general, these queues remained orderly and compliant with minimum health protocols. Many Comelec offices did not announce cut-offs, and many announced that they could accommodate in excess of 300 applicants,” he said.
Even though they registered more people than the usual, it was nothing compared to their turnout pre-pandemic, Diones said.
“Noong wala pang pandemic, nakaka-200 plus per day kami kasi wala namang threat ng virus. Ngayon kailangan talaga i-limit,” he added.
As lines will expectedly be long as the deadline approaches, Diones advised registrants to take extra precaution by ensuring that they are properly wearing face masks and face shields and they constantly sanitize their hands with alcohol.
Prepare for delays, even if it’s not your fault
Even as you already have all the requirements when you visit your local Comelec office, your registration process may not be as smooth-sailing as you expected. And it could be because the registrants ahead of you may not be as prepared.
Diones said while you will only stay inside the Comelec office for about 10 minutes to complete the registration process, it could be extended when other applicants do not have the complete requirements when it’s already their turn.
“Yung requirements nila, minsan walang dala [na ID]. Akala nila magfi-fill out lang ng form. Yung iba naman, may dala nga kaso hindi [valid],” he said.
In these cases, the local Comelec staff will advise those with invalid requirements to secure easily-accessible IDs, like an NBI clearance which could be availed from a nearby NBI office within a day.
To avoid further delays, make sure to accomplish the application form before you visit the local Comelec office, but don’t sign it at home as you need the presence of an election officer, Diones said. Have a photocopy of your valid IDs as well, just to be sure.
Think of your local Comelec officers, too
The pandemic affects everyone, even officers and staff at your local Comelec office. Since the pandemic started in March 30, there has been no assurance that local Comelec staff would have continuous work, especially that their operations are dependent on community quarantine protocols in their area.
There’s also the possibility that Comelec staff itself would get infected, especially in MECQ areas where the number of COVID-19 cases are high. Diones admitted that they even had to stop operations a few days before Bataan was placed under MECQ because they had to undergo quarantine.
“May takot na rin talaga kami. Pero wala kaming magagawa,” he said.
Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon earlier said hazard pay would be given to field personnel in accordance to DBM guidelines to provide them support as they facilitiate the registration process in the locality.
So when visiting your local Comelec office, it pays to be nice to the staff. Remember that they are working so that you can exercise your right to vote.
Patience is the key
Once you’re ready to register, the last thing you need to have with you is patience, Diones said. After all, voter registration during the pandemic takes more time and preparation than the usual, so it’s really a waiting game.
“Kapag magpaparehistro sila, kumpleto na [dapat] yung requirements nila. May form na sila tsaka magbaon sila ng mahabang pasensya kung pipila sila nang mahaba,” Diones said as a final advice to registrants.
“Magdala na rin sila ng makakain, makukutkot kasi nga yung haba ng pila,” he added.
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