Comelec Introduces Nationwide Register Anywhere Program for Effortless Voter Registration

 Comelec to Roll Out Nationwide Register Anywhere Program (RAP) for Voter Registration

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is gearing up to implement its Register Anywhere Program (RAP) on a nationwide scale when the voter registration period resumes on February 12, according to a statement released on Thursday. The RAP initiative will facilitate voter registration in all capital cities, towns, and highly urbanized cities (HUCs), utilizing designated sites in malls, universities, government offices, and agencies.

The Comelec highlighted the success of the RAP pilot testing in 2022, which took place in selected areas, including malls such as SM Fairview, Robinsons Place Manila, and SM Mall of Asia, among others. Besides these venues, the program will extend to church organizations, private establishments, government agencies, and educational institutions.

The nationwide rollout of RAP aims to offer additional avenues for voter registration in locations with higher concentrations of people, optimizing efforts to register individuals with limited time and opportunities, such as workers, employees, and students. This initiative intends to increase voter turnout for the 2025 National and Local Elections.

Under the RAP, individuals can file their applications at any designated RAP registration site, irrespective of their place of residence. Accepted applications include new registrations, transfers from other cities/municipalities/districts, transfers from overseas to local, corrections of entries or changes of status, and reactivations. The RAP will be available until August 31.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia mentioned that amended guidelines on voter registration will be released, emphasizing that only government-issued IDs will be accepted, and company IDs will no longer be considered valid identification documents.

Local Comelec offices will be open to receiving registration applications and addressing election-related concerns from February 12 to September 30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays unless specified otherwise by the poll body.(PNA)