No Bio, No Boto: One of the means to
an end
The
right to suffrage may only be exercised by qualified Filipino citizens.
Aside
from the requirements in our Constitution, another law sets a requirement for
the voters. The Republic Act No. 10637
requires all voter registration records to have biometric information.[1] RA
10367 defines the Biometric as ”the
quantitative analysis that provides a positive identification of an individual
such as voice, photograph, fingerprint, signature, iris and/or such other
identifiable features.”
The COMELEC scheduled the biometric registration period both for
new and old voters from May 6, 2014 to October 31, 2015.[2] Despite of this
long duration of registration, more than two million Filipinos are left
unregistered making them disqualified to vote for the upcoming May 2016
elections. This resulted to filing of a petition to declare the policy
unconstitutional in which the Supreme Court dismissed.
I have been voting since 2009 and been hearing a lot of elections problems. I do believe that the cleaning of voters' list will eliminate one of the several issues that repeatedly arose in the past elections.
I sympathize to those who will not be able to exercise their right to vote next year. But I also believe that COMELEC made its earnest efforts to remind the voters to do their responsibility. The Commission opened satelite offices in the malls and extended their working days and hours just to accomodate millions of concerned Filipino voters. COMELEC also lainched its Huling Hirit campaign for the cramming voters during the last two weeks of registration. The biometric registration for voters lasted for more than one year hence there is no acceptable excuses to those who failed to comply. However, COMELEC should have been considerate enough to extend the registration even just for a few days due to the typhoon in October which prevented the voters to go out and register.
I understand that millions of voters can still make a differerence to the results of elections. We also have to bear in mind that if those voters who failed to comply really care for the future of our country, they should have been more than willing to spend a weekday or a weekend to register.
This is just one of the programs od COMELEC for a cleaner and more honest elections in the coming years. As a Filipino, we have to give our support by doing what the law requires us to do.
-----------------------------------
[1] No Bio, No Boto: http://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=VoterRegistration/NoBioNoBoto
August 22,2015
[2] No Bio, No Boto COMELC reminds 4.3 million Pinoys: Registration only until Oct. 31,2015: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/112029/no-bio-no-boto--comelec-reminds-4-3-million-pinoys-registration-only-until-oct--31
June 9, 2015
I have been voting since 2009 and been hearing a lot of elections problems. I do believe that the cleaning of voters' list will eliminate one of the several issues that repeatedly arose in the past elections.
I sympathize to those who will not be able to exercise their right to vote next year. But I also believe that COMELEC made its earnest efforts to remind the voters to do their responsibility. The Commission opened satelite offices in the malls and extended their working days and hours just to accomodate millions of concerned Filipino voters. COMELEC also lainched its Huling Hirit campaign for the cramming voters during the last two weeks of registration. The biometric registration for voters lasted for more than one year hence there is no acceptable excuses to those who failed to comply. However, COMELEC should have been considerate enough to extend the registration even just for a few days due to the typhoon in October which prevented the voters to go out and register.
I understand that millions of voters can still make a differerence to the results of elections. We also have to bear in mind that if those voters who failed to comply really care for the future of our country, they should have been more than willing to spend a weekday or a weekend to register.
This is just one of the programs od COMELEC for a cleaner and more honest elections in the coming years. As a Filipino, we have to give our support by doing what the law requires us to do.
-----------------------------------
[1] No Bio, No Boto: http://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=VoterRegistration/NoBioNoBoto
August 22,2015
[2] No Bio, No Boto COMELC reminds 4.3 million Pinoys: Registration only until Oct. 31,2015: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/112029/no-bio-no-boto--comelec-reminds-4-3-million-pinoys-registration-only-until-oct--31
June 9, 2015
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