MANILA — Groups representing the labor and youth sectors on Tuesday formally appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend the voter registration period, set to end on Sept. 30.

Leaders of Defend Jobs Philippines and Akbayan party-list, which represented 45 youth groups, trooped to the Comelec headquarters to file their respective letter-petitions seeking to prolong the period for eligible voters to register.

READ: Labor group Defend Jobs PH’s appeal to Comelec for extension of voter registration period for 1 more month or until Oct. 31.

“We urge Comelec commissioners to be considerate enough in letting our workers and people practice their Constitutional right to vote,” group adds. pic.twitter.com/Ttz9At4RNH

— J.E. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) August 31, 2021

The Comelec en banc last Aug. 19 already rejected calls for extension, citing operational concerns and the tight timeline going into the May 2022 election.

• No extension of voter registration after Sept. 30: Comelec

As a compromise, the poll body expanded registration hours.

• Comelec sets longer registration hours starting Aug. 23

But Defend Jobs and Akbayan argued that Filipinos have lost months in the registration period due to lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The nation lost close to 8 months' worth of voter's registration due to COVID-19 and numerous lockdowns," Akbayan spokesman RJ Naguit said.

"We urge Comelec commissioners to be considerate enough in letting our workers and people practice their Constitutional right to vote. Pandemic lockdowns are government impositions and it is not the fault of workers that registration days have been suspended," said Christian Lloyd Magsoy, spokesperson of Defend Jobs.

Defend Jobs Philippines is seeking for a one month extension or until Oct. 31, while Akbayan wants registration to last until Jan. 2022.

Coalition of youth groups files another petition-letter to Comelec asking for extension of voter registration until Jan. 2022.

“Wag naman hayaan ng Comelec na pati ang karapatan magrehistro at bumoto ng kabataan at mamamayan ay agawin ng pandemiya," says Akbayan spox RJ Naguit. pic.twitter.com/PUVjSRkfXt

— J.E. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) August 31, 2021

While Comelec has repeatedly said it has reached its target of 60 million registered voters, the groups said that based on Philippine Statistics Authority data, 73 million Filipinos are qualified to vote by May 2022 elections.

• Comelec 'on track' to reach minimum 61 million target by end of registration period - spox

"The September 30 deadline will not make the poll body reach the 13.3 million potential voters who are still not registered for the 2022 polls and thus this will mean disenfranchising our working people over again," Magsoy said.

On Monday, former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal asked the poll body to allow voter registration in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

• Ex-poll commissioner appeals to Comelec: Allow voter registration in MECQ areas

Under Comelec guidelines in effect, voter registration is only allowed in places with general community quarantine (GCQ) status.

Metro Manila and 15 other areas are under MECQ until Sept. 7, giving qualified voters less time to register.

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