MANILA - A total of 2.8 million first-time voters have registered and the figures are expected to reach 3 million as registration closes tomorrow, Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez told journalists in a forum on Friday.
The number, however, still falls short of an estimated 9 million potential first-time voters as reported by a network of student groups pushing for the youth to register.
Interested youth
“People are lining-up all over the place, not just in Metro Manila but also in the provinces,” Jimenez noted. The number includes those who registered from December 2008 to October 2009.
The number has increased by 1.2 million since July, when the elections commission reported a total of 1.6 million first-time registrants since December 2008.
Aside from extending registration days from Monday to Saturday, the Comelec has also conducted mobile registrations in numerous schools, barangays, and municipalities.
Jimenez attributes the increase to 2 factors: 1) 2010 will be a national elections, and 2) The election process will be automated, which is a first in the country’s election history.
Princess Abante, commissioner of the National Youth Commission, notes that the increase reflects how the youth are empowered to do their part.
“Youth are very empowered now, not just in the elections but also in other national issues,” she said. Further, she noticed a marked rise in youth organizations that encourage the youth to register for the elections.
Youth movements that are not directly into the elections have also flourished and currently plays active roles in empowering the youth to be responsible voters... more
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