Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has released detailed guidelines for the upcoming nationwide voters' registration scheduled for August, in preparation for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December. This initiative aims to streamline the registration process and ensure that voters can exercise their right to vote.

According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec's Resolution No. 11155 outlines the activities, schedules, procedures, and limitations for the voter registration period from August 1 to 10. The resolution emphasizes the importance of setting precise periods and dates to facilitate voter registration without infringing on individuals' suffrage rights.

The commission will accept several types of applications, including new registrations, changes of name and status, corrections of registration records, reactivation of records, inclusion and reinstatement of voter names, and transfers of registration records from foreign service posts to local jurisdictions. Additionally, updates for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, Indigenous Peoples, and other vulnerable groups will be accommodated.

Applications must be personally filed at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) in the applicant's city, municipality, or district, operating between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as weekends and holidays. Online applications for reactivation and updates for senior citizens and persons with disabilities are accepted via official OEO email addresses from August 1 to 7.

The commission noted that local transfer of registration records applications will not be accepted during this period. Moreover, voter registration in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be excluded from the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections scheduled for October 13.

The Register Anywhere Program (RAP) will also run from August 1 to 7, limited to the National Capital Region and selected areas in Central Luzon and Calabarzon. This program allows qualified applicants residing in the Philippines to register at designated booths by submitting required documents and having their biometrics captured on-site.