Negros Occidental tops biometrics data registration nationwide

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Negros Occidental has topped other provinces in the country in the percentage of voters that have updated their records with biometrics data for the 2016 elections.

Lawyer Jessie Suarez, provincial election supervisor, said on Thursday, September 17, that only 3.61% of voters in this Western Visayas province have yet to update their biometrics data.

Out of the 1,595,317 registered voters in Negros Occidental, only 57, 653 of them have no biometrics.

“The remaining 3.61% are most likely people who already died or those who have transferred residence but have not given their notice in local offices,” Suarez said.

He reminded voters that they only have until October 31 to update their records with biometrics data, or they will be removed from the voters’ list.

Voters with incomplete biometrics can’t vote in the 2016 elections. Those who fail to update their biometrics may only reactivate their registration after the 2016 polls, Suarez added.

According to Commission on Elections records, the following cities have this many registered voters without biometrics data:

• Bacolod City – 6,303
• Bago City – 4,941
• Cadiz City – 4,577
• Kabankalan City – 4,265
• Sagay City – 3,077
• Himamaylan City – 2, 895
• La Castellana – 2,458
• Valladolid – 2,387
• Manapla – 2,237
• Moises Padilla – 1,887

Pulupandan has the lowest number of voters without biometrics data – 244.

(See how other provinces fare in this map of showing the biometrics registration status across the country.)

Meanwhile, Suarez urged the candidates to file their certificates of candidacy early. “Those who plan to run as mayors and councilors should file their COC together with their Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance in the municipality or city they intend to run while those who would run as the governor, vice governor, and as members of the congress should submit their requirements at the Comelec  Provincial Office.”

The filing of COC will be from October 12 to 16.

Also, Suarez said that the poll body will form a technical working group to study the possibility of holding voting inside shopping malls.

He said that there are pros and cons to the proposal: “It would be more comfortable for persons with disability because malls are air-conditioned. But it would be hard to distinguish shoppers from voters, and vote buying would be hard to control,” he said.

Rappler #PHvote has been sharing this Instaquote to encourage Negrenses to update their biometrics records. Please share it as well. Remember the Comelec’s rule: #NoBioNoBoto:

 – Rappler.com