Thousands beat deadline of registration for Brgy, SK polls
Registrants flock to the City Comelec office at the
second floor of the Iloilo Terminal Market to beat
yesterday's deadline of registration for Barangay
and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
A. Chris Fernandez photo
Seeing that they could no longer accommodate the throng of registrants until last night's closing time of 7 p.m. the City Commission on Elections (Comelec) decided to just let the registrants fill up the forms then set a different date for them to be interviewed and pictured for the data capturing machine.
City election officer Jonathan Sayno said they have decided to just distribute the forms to ensure that the registrants especially those students and youth between 15 and 18 years old could be accommodated.
Sayno said they have devised a schedule by district where those who had filled up the forms could go back to the City Comelec office for the completion of their registration. For those coming from the city proper they are required to come to the City Comelec July 23; Lapuz and Lapaz, July 24; Molo, July 25; Arevalo and Mandurriao, July 26; and Jaro, July 27.
However, only those who have filled up and submitted the forms last Sunday could be accommodated in the specified schedules, Sayno said.
Sayno stressed there is no more extension of registration for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on October 29, 2007.
Sayno observed that the registrants for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections have increased in number.
He said the registration period was set for only eight days, starting from July 15 last week, since those who are already registered and have voted in the May 14, 2007 midterm polls need not register.
The City Comelec has set the registration time from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to enable workers and students to register but still a lot have tried to beat the deadline yesterday.
"Aside from new registrants a lot are applying for transfer of registration," Sayno said.
Certain sectors have asked that the registration period be extended but Comelec officials are wary that there is no more adequate time.