Comelec: No decline in registration as BSKE postponement looms

Commission on Elections. Inquirer file photo.

MANILA, Philippines — There is no decline in the number of voter registrants after the announcement of the signing of the law seeking to extend the term of elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) officials.

This is what Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia bared in an interview when asked if his announcement posed an effect to voters’ registration for the BSK elections.

“It is not declining, the number of voter registrants is increasing even if the voter registration period is only for 10 days,” Garcia said, pertaining to the 10-day voter registration period from August 1 to August 10, 2025.

READ: How to register as a voter for the 2025 BSKE

Garcia earlier disclosed that Marcos will sign on August 12, 2025 the law postponing the BSKE that is originally scheduled on December 1, 2025. Despite this, Garcia said that the voters’ registration period, set for August 1 to August 10, will push through.

Further, Garcia also observed many voter registrants as he visited several sites of the Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP) of the poll body in the Light Rail Transit 2 Recto Station, Manila City Jail, and the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center on Monday.

Prior to this, Garcia shared that he also went to SRAP sites such as the University of the East, Baclaran, SMX Convention Center, and even in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

“The parents or grandparents accompanying the youth are even helping in filling up forms. This means that they know the importance of their children or grandchildren in registering as voters,” Garcia added.

He mentioned that around 73% of the voter registrants are newly registered voters. He then encouraged the youth to register as voters so they can have representation in the BSKE.

READ: LIST: Comelec’s Special Register Anywhere Program schedule

Meanwhile, Garcia said that the poll body will continue its preparations for the BSKE even if Marcos will sign the proposed bill on postponing the elections or not. He added that no major funds have been spent as the poll body is still in the procurement process for the elections.

As the poll body conducts a voter registration, the following applications will be accepted:

• Registration
• Change of name and status
• Correction of entries
• Reactivation of registration records
• Inclusion of registration records and reinstatement of name in the list of voters
• Updating of records of Persons With Disabilities (PWD), senior citizens, and members of the indigenous peoples (IPs) and indigenous cultural communities (ICCs)
• Transfer from overseas to local only

Meanwhile, transfer of local registration records is not allowed during this registration period.

Comelec also said that anyone can bring at least one of the following government-issued IDs:

• National ID
• Postal ID
• PWD ID
• Student’s ID card of library card (with signature of school authority)
• Senior Citizen ID
• Driver’s license or student permit
• National Bureau of Investigation clearance
• Philippine passport
• Social Security System/Government Service Insurance System or Unified Multi-Purpose ID
• Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID
• Professional Regulatory Commission License
• Certificate of Confirmation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples for members of ICCs and IPs
• Other government-issued valid IDs

Meanwhile, the Comelec noted that barangay certification or identification, community tax certificates (Cedula), Philippine National Police Clearance and company ID will not be accepted.  /mr