BARMM to be included in voter registration period for barangay, SK polls in July — Comelec

MANILA — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will now be included in the 11-day voter registration period next month.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said this is to allow individuals in the region aged 15 - 17 to register for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on December 1, 2025.

“Noon po kasing 2023 elections, 1.8 million ang nagparehistro na 15-17 years old. So pagka po hindi tayo nagparehistro sa Bangsamoro, na-realize natin na baka walang bumoto sa SK sa Bangsamoro kung saka-sakali,” Garcia said in an interview Wednesday, June 4.

“Sapagkat ang 15-17 po remember ay bumuboto sa SK kasi kung hindi po at tayo'y magpaparehistro ang makakaboto lang yung 18 pataas hanggang 24. Papano yung 15-17 madi-disenfranchise ng Comelec?” he added.

The period is open for all kinds of registration may it be new registrants, transfer of registration or reactivation, according to Garcia.

The poll body chief said they will soon make the official announcement while awaiting the en banc’s approval.

BARMM prepared for any untoward incident during polls — Minister

However, Garcia clarified that they may include a “colatilla” in the resolution stating that the BARMM registrants will only be able to vote in the barangay and SK polls, and not in the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election on October 13. 

“Sapagkat ang Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election sabi ng batas ay continuation po ito ng national at local elections. So kung ano, sino ‘yung registered voters sa panahon ng Mayo 12, marapat na sila lang din ang makaboto sa October 13,” he noted.

“Therefore yung magpaparehistro mula July 1-11, hindi po dapat sila makaboto sa Bangsamoro yung mga boto, kundi yung boto po nila ay para sa December 1,” Garcia further stated.

‘VOTE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME’

To encourage more Filipino adults to participate in the upcoming polls, the Comelec will extend its registration time and to other venues.

A pilot implementation of the commission’s “vote anywhere, anytime” initiative will be conducted in Metro Manila where registration booths will be set up in selected public areas from 7 p.m. - 7 a.m.

Some of the pilot areas include the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, Philippine General Hospital, call centers, bus terminals and airports.

Comelec: DBM approves P2.7-billion budget for the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls

“Para naman ‘yung mga kababayan natin na hindi nakakapagparehistro dahil sila ay umuuwi pagka gabi o kaya nagtatrabaho eh wala na pong dahilan ngayon na hindi na makapagparehistro,” Garcia said.