IN various offices of the Commission on Elections nationwide, the same story played out as the country marked Sunday the National Registration Day for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs): Only a handful showed up to register as voters, and in some places none at all.
The low turnout was blamed on poor information dissemination by the poll body, the destruction wrought by typhoon “Glenda” in many parts of Luzon earlier in the week and heavy rains spawned by typhoon “Henry” that came on the tail of Glenda.
But election officials said they were optimistic that more PWDs will register in the weeks ahead as the continuing voter registration will end on Oct. 31, 2015. Others said a number of PWDs had registered before Sunday.
The National Council on Disability Affairs earlier asked the Comelec to conduct special registration for PWDs on July 20 to coincide with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.
Registration for new voters and those reapplying for reactivation or updating of their records in compliance with the biometrics law is ongoing. Under Republic Act 10367, the Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration Act of 2013, voters who fail to update their biometrics data can’t vote in the 2016 and subsequent elections.
Poor turnout
Comelec earlier estimated at least 120,000 eligible PWD voters.
Monitoring by VERA Files of Sunday’s special registration showed zero turnouts in some parts of Albay and Bohol, Dagupan and San Carlos cities in Pangasinan, Tarlac City, Koronadal City, and Tupi town in South Cotabato.
Single-digit registration was reported in Baguio City (seven), Zamboanga City’s District 1 (eight) and District 2 (three), Pagadian City (three) and Surigao City (nine) where the registration was held at a gym.
Two Visayan cities reported a higher turnout: 30 in Bacolod City, which designated SM City as the venue, and 18 in Cebu City. Laoag City also recorded 12 PWD voters as of mid-afternoon.