The Commission on Election (COMELEC) in an en banc session on Wednesday, September 29, extended the deadline for overseas voters' registration from October 1 to 14, 2021. The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney has promptly shared this information and put in place procedures to facilitate the expected additional registrations.
Previously there was no need to make appointments for overseas voting, but in anticipation of the influx of registrations for the extended period, it is now necessary to book online for appointment.
The same morning on September 29, the COMELEC extended local voting registration in the Philippines until October 31.
The voter registration was supposed to end on September 30 but due to clamour from various groups and some lawmakers, the COMELEC extended the deadline.
COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez said the extended voter registration would be held from Monday to Friday during office hours. While most of the registration will be carried out in COMELEC offices, Jimenez said registration in malls would continue.
"Note that for overseas voting, the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) is not an issue, thus the extension starts immediately,” Jimenez said, referring to the filing of COCs from October 1-8."
With the extended voter registration, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said the public’s eagerness to register and cast their vote in the coming elections only encourages the police force to step up its measures to make sure that the polls will be secured and orderly.
“Our aggressive operations against private armed groups and loose firearms have been intensified in order to deny any individual and group the opportunity to hijack the healthy and clean exercise of our democratic process on the days leading to the May polls and the Election Day,” Eleazar said in a statement.