Comelec to acquire more fingerprint scanners for last-minute registrants

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista announced that they will acquire more fingerprint scanners to accommodate last-minute registrants before the deadline on Oct. 31.

 

"Aming pinaghahandaan yung pagdagsa ng mga voters... kumuha na din ng mga bagong fingerprint scanning machines para dagdagan yung ating mga makina," Bautista said on DZBB radio Saturday.

 

Bautista earlier said that the commission is considering the request of a civil society group for a week-long extension to the nationwide voter's registration.

 

Samahan para sa Tunay na Eleksyon sa Pilipinas (STEP), a coalition of civil society groups, argued that the extension was needed to make up for the suspension of registration from Oct. 12 to 16, the period of filing for certificate of candidacies (COCs) for those running in the 2016 elections.

 

"Talagang gusto nating bigyan ng lahat ng pagkakataon ang ating mga botante na makapag-rehistro, makapagvalidate ng kanilang biometric," Bautista said.

 

While they could not force Filipinos who refuse to register for the 2016 polls, he said they would do their best to make the experience more comfortable for those who want to register for the upcoming elections.

 

"(Nag-iisip) ng paraan para mapabuti, mapaginhawa yung proseso. That is the decision of each and every voter, kung gusto nilang makilahok," Bautista said. — Rie Takumi/GMA News