TACLOBAN: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would expand its “Register Anywhere Project (RAP)” in six capital towns and cities in Eastern Visayas to encourage more voters to register for the 2025 midterm polls.
Speaking to reporters, Comelec Eastern Visayas Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said all election offices in capital cities and towns would implement RAP to start Feb. 12.
‘This aims to provide convenience and remedies to voters who are temporarily residing in areas outside their actual city, municipality, or district of residence. For instance, if someone from Biliran works in Eastern Samar, he or she doesn’t have to travel to his or her hometown to register since it can be done in Borongan City, the provincial capital,’ Mendros said.
RAP will be implemented in Tacloban City in Leyte, Catbalogan City in Samar, Catarman in Northern Samar, Borongan City in Eastern Samar, Maasin City in Southern Leyte, and Naval in Biliran.
Registration sites will be put up in state universities and colleges t
o encourage more young voters to participate in next year’s elections.
These schools are the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman town, Visayas State University in Baybay City, Eastern Samar State University in Borongan City and Guiuan town, Samar State University in Catbalogan, Southern Leyte State University in Sogod town, Biliran Province State University in Naval town, and Saint Joseph College in Maasin City.
‘The campus registration is not limited to enrollees but also others in the community. We are trying to address all issues that prevent a person from exercising his or her right to vote,” he said.
The application of new voters, transfers, correction of entries, change of names, and reactivation of registration will run from Feb. 12 to Sept. 30.
The registration is part of the Comelec’s preparation for national and local elections on May 12, 2025, and Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on December 5, 2025.
Last year, Eastern Visayas had 3.22 registered regular voters and 1.3 mil
lion youth voters.
Source: Philippines News Agency