MANILA - A former official of the Commission on Elections urged the public to value their vote as voter registration resumed Tuesday.

Of some 60 million Filipino voters, the youth comprises a third or 20 million, former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said.

Some 4 million new youth are expected to register as voters until 2021, he added.

"If you don’t vote, you don’t have a say in who will be our leaders in the next 3 or 6 years...If you register and vote, your chances of making a difference increase substantially," former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal told ANC.

"You have to value your vote. If you don’t value your vote, nothing will happen."

Those aged 18 to 35, however, has a lower turnout than those 35 and above, according to Larrazabal.

This seems to be a worldwide phenomenon as "older folks are more involved in the political situation in the country," he said.

"I think they (youth) should realize that when they go out there and vote, no one’s there looking behind their back. They should vote according to their conscience," he said.

"Twenty million can make or break a candidate. That 20 million votes can elect a President, Vice President, senators. That can make a huge difference."

Comelec earlier said the public may register as voters from Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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