Comelec brings voter registration to Sitio Kapihan
By Renelle Escuadro
Every vote counts.
Commission
on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Erwin M. Garcia fleshed out this
statement by organizing a voter’s registration caravan to Sitio Kapihan in
Barangay Sering, Bucas Grande Island of Socorro, Surigao del Norte on April 25.
This initiative of the Comelec ensured that the members of the controversial Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) will be able to cast their ballots in the next elections.
The
activity resulted in eight new voter’s applications and 235 residents were able
to amend their information in the system and receive their updated voter’s
certification.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin M. Garcia, along with Comelec Caraga and Surigao del Norte, together with partner agencies from the PNP Caraga, Philippine Coast Guard - Northeastern Mindanao, Philippine Information Agency Caraga, and the local government of Socorro, conducted a voter’s education and satellite registration of voters for the members of Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) at Sitio Kapihan, Barangay Sering, Socoro, Surigao del Norte. This will ensure more Filipinos from remote, conflict-ridden and vulnerable areas in the country will exercise suffrage in the 2025 National and Local Elections. (Photo: PIA - SDN)
Sitio Kapihan and SBSI
Sitio
Kapihan is a 353-hectare protected landscape and the home of almost 5,000
members of the SBSI.
With the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ cancellation of the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) with the SBSI, this will result in the relocation and resettlement of around 1,425 households based in Sitio Kapihan.
Members of the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) patiently fell in line as the Comelec personnel from Caraga region and Surigao del Norte provided assistance for the smooth and convenient conduct of the voter’s registration. (Photo: PIA - SDN)
Thus, Comelec has identified this place as a vulnerable area for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).
During
the previous elections, Comelec reported that a single precinct hosted the
2,223 SBSI voters, who comprised almost 13 percent of Socorro town's 17,385
registered voters.
Comelec
Caraga reported 3,406 voters in Barangay Sering during the Election
Registration Board hearing on April 24.
Garcia said that during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections 2023, only 84 percent of the nation’s qualified voters cast their votes in the recent polls. That is why the Comelec launched the Registration Anywhere Program (RAP) to bring registration closer to the Filipino people and to register every Filipino voter regardless of geographical location and political challenges.
“The first area that we visited was the Spratly Islands, or the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan, which gained 50 new voters. We are not looking at the number, as our main goal is that every voter should exercise their right to vote on the 2025 NLE,” the chairperson said.
He shared that they recently conducted a two-day simultaneous RAP at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat and Camp Abubakar, Barira, both in the province of Maguindanao del Norte, on April 15-16. This served as a historic event since the Comelec was able to visit the camps of the Moro Integrated Islamic Front's (MILF) and encouraged qualified residents to file their application for voter’s registration.
Meanwhile, the Comelec has also partnered with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to facilitate a news conference in Sitio Kapihan.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga facilitated the press conference, which was made more dynamic and informative by the participation of the national and local media. Comelec Chairperson George Erwin M. Garcia, Comelec Caraga Election Director Francisco G. Pobe, PBGen. Eleazar P. Matta, deputy regional director for administration of the Philippine National Police Caraga, Philippine Coast Guard - Northeastern Mindanao Capt. Christopher DP Auro, and OIC-President of Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) Johan Lasala answered the questions raised by the media. (Photo: PIA - SDN)
“Mas maganda na nandito yong media, dahil sila mismo ang magsasabi na pwede kayong bumoto sa susunod na eleksyon,” Garcia said.
[It is better that we have the media here with us so they can report to the public that you can vote in the next elections.]
He also
assured the SBSI members that Comelec will look into setting up a precinct
inside Sitio Kapihan so voters will no longer traverse the five-kilometer road
to reach the nearest school to vote.
Online voting and automated counting machines
The
voter’s education was an opportunity for the Comelec to announce the changes
and enhancements that they are currently working on and preparing for a better
election experience in 2025.
“This is
our first time to introduce and roll out some of the features of the automated
counting machines that will be used in the 2025 NLE,” John Rex C. Laudiangco of
the Education and Information Department of Comelec told the audience.
The
automated counting machine is capable of reading more than 1,000 ballots,
including its capability to read QR codes. The machine can also operate
for more than 14 hours.
Francisco
G. Pobe, Comelec Caraga Regional Election Director, assured everyone that the
Commission provides timely resolution to all election-related complaints,
saying, “Kaya ngayong election sa 2025 bagong makinarya ang gagamitin natin
dahil marami tayong narinig na kung anu-anong mga katiwalian kaya minabuti ng
Comelec na palitan ang makina pati na ang provider para maibigay sa taong bayan
ang tamang serbisyo kaya kung sino ang iboboto niyo, yan ang lalabas na resulta
mula sa makina.”
[This
coming 2025 election, we will be using a new automated counting machine because
we heard different stories questioning the credibility of the previous ones.
That is why Comelec has decided to change the machines and also the provider so
we will receive the right service and the new machine will show the candidate
that we voted for.]
A quick
discussion on online voting was tackled to kick off in January 2025 with a
three-month registration period for gadgets that will be used by Filipinos
living or working abroad.
Johan Lasala, interim President of SBSI, appreciated the efforts of the Comelec and other government agencies who personally visited Sitio Kapihan, saying, “I am happy that the government looks into our welfare. To vote in the next election means we contribute to nation building." (RLE/PIA-Caraga)
