400,000 voters have no biometrics yet in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley

CAGAYAN VALLEY, Philippines – With just 3 months away from the deadline of voters’ registration and validation, local Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials worry that about 400,000 voters of Cagayan Valley and Ilocos regions might forfeit their right to vote in 2016 if they fail to update their records.

As of July 1, about 206,755 voters in Cagayan Valley have not yet validated their biometrics.

Mara Macamus, election officer of Comelec-Cagayan Valley, said the large number of voters with no biometrics prompted them to double their campaign and effort. 

“We are worried because their names will really be deleted if they do not step up now,” Macamus told Rappler through phone interview.

She said they are conducting information drive through tarpaulins and TV ads, aside from putting up satellite registration and validation centers.

“Nakikiusap po kami sa mga botante na magpa-biometrics na para makaboto sa 2016,” Macamus said. (We urge voters to please have their biometrics so they can vote in 2016.)

In compliance with the Republic Act 10367 or the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013, Comelec will not allow voters with no biometrics to vote in the 2016 national and presidential elections.

Northern Luzon records

Meanwhile, in Ilocos region, 188,066 voters have no biometrics yet, election assistant officer Olga Mendoza said.

The said number constitutes 6.53% of the 2.9 million voters of the 4 provinces in the region.

On Thursday, July 23, Pangasinan election supervisor Marino Salas said around 100,000 voters had not their biometrics taken.

He said they had coordinated the malls in Pangasinan and with the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan to intensify the Comelec campaign “No Bio, No Boto.”

The Kapilya de San Juan Hall in Dagupan City is open on August 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 and on September 6, 13, and 20 as a satellite registration center. – Rappler.com