DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/20 Sept) – You’re a registered voter but can you vote on May 9, 2016?
Better check the website of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to find out if, indeed, you can.
Remember, “no bio, no boto” (no biometrics data, no vote). Or if the biometrics data on your registration form is incomplete, you cannot vote, too (no bio /incomplete bio).
MindaNews did a random check for data of voters with no bio or those with incomplete biometrics data posted by the Comelec as of August 22, 2015 and found that thousands of voters will be disenfranchised on May 9, 2016 if they do not have their biometrics data captured by October 31, 2015.
In Davao City, Comelec listed 187,639 voters with “no bio/incomplete bio.”
Comelec records show Davao City has 999,629 registered voters as of the October 2013 barangay elections.
In Cagayan de Oro City, the list shows 21,952 names. The city has 285,655 registered voters as of October 2013.
In Buluan, Maguindanao, hometown of Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, only five are on the list, for having “incomplete fingerprints.” In Shariff Aguak, hometown of the late three-term Governor, Andal Ampatuan, Sr., only one was listed, for the same reason as in Buluan.
In Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, the Comelec lists 8,147; in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, 360; in Jolo, Sulu, zero; in Marawi City, one.
“The absence of biometrics in the voter’s registration record would cause Comelec to deactivate the concerned registration records. When that happens, the concerned voter shall not be allowed to vote in the May 2016 elections,” the Comelec announced on its website.
It is easy to check on your status as a voter. Visit http://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=VoterRegistration/NoBioNoBoto/NoIncBio to find out if you’re on the list of those with no bio or with incomplete bio.
If you’re not on the list but would like to check the status of your registration or if you want to check on the status of your Voter’s ID, visit Precinct Finder — http://www.comelec.gov.ph/?r=VoterRegistration/RegistrationStatusVerification/precinct_finder — where you can find the Registration Verification data as of April 2015 ERB (Election Registration Board) hearing, for those who filed their registration on or before 31 March 2015.
Whether you are from Batanes, Bulacan, Cebu or Tawi-tawi, in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao, or you’re from the city or a municipality, or an OFW, you can check your voter’s status through the Comelec website.
The list is in alphabetical order so it is easy to check not only your status but your relatives bearing the same surname in your city or town.
The Comelec announcement on the website said it cannot print the Voter ID cards of those with incomplete biometrics data.
RA 10367, signed into law by President Aquino on February 15, 2013, provides that all voter registration records must have biometrics information.
“This means that when you go your local Comelec office to file an application, your biometrics data will be captured using the Comelec’s Voter Registration Machine (VRM). The VRM makes use of a digital camera, a fingerprint scanner and a signature pad to capture your biometrics data,” it said.
“All previously registered voters without biometrics are required to subject themselves to biometrics capture through the validation procedure” and they have until October 31, 2015 to comply with the requirement. (MindaNews)
