MANILA — The Commission on Elections will open satellite voter registration sites in dozens of malls as part of preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in December.

Comelec officials and the SM Supermalls signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to set up registration sites at over 70 malls nationwide. These include 23 SM malls in Metro Manila.

The Comelec will also open satellite registration centers in Robinsons Malls.

The project aims to help ease and unburden voter registration traffic in barangays and provide a more convenient way to register.

Voter registration runs from July 17 to 23, while a voter's education campaign will be held from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30, 2022.

NEW REGISTRANTS 'BREACH TARGET'

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said new registrants for the SK elections among voters aged 15 to 17 have reached 1,073,000 as of Monday.

New registrants aged 18 to 30 have hit 547,389, while registrants 31 years old and above have reached 91,079.

“We have actually breached our target. For purposes of planning since in the May 9 elections, we are at 65 million plus (voters), we are expected to be at 66 million," Laudiangco said in a press briefing.

"So right now, for the regular voters we have already breached that mark, the 500,000 registrant mark and we are on track for the 23 million expected voters for the Sangguniang Kabataan elections.”

• More than 900,000 new registered voters ahead of barangay, SK elections

NO EXTENSION

Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said there is no plan so far to extend the voter registration.

“We will see if there’s a need and if kakayanin pa na mag-extend. But as of now, we cannot announce an extension baka kasi magkampante din sila na ‘Ah last day na lang kasi mage-extend iyan.’ So let’s just hope that they will not rely on extension for them to register,” Ferolino said.

(We will see if there's a need and if we can extend. But as of now, we cannot announce an extension because they might become complacent and say, "I'll just register on the last day because they will probably grant an extension.")

Despite proposals to postpone the December barangay and SK elections, Comelec's preparations to hold the polls are on track, according to Deputy Executive Director for Operations Teopisto Elnas Jr.

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“As far as the preparation for the barangay and SK elections, as of now, wala pa tayong batas (on postponing). So on the part of the Commission on Elections, on track kami sa preparation namin, from procurement hangggang sa registration,” Elnas said.

(As far as the preparation for the barangay and SK elections, as of now, we don't have a law postponing the polls. So on the part of the Commission on Elections, we're on track with our preparations, from procurement to registration.)

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