Voter registration for 2025 BSKE around 200K so far —Comelec

Around 200,000 individuals have registered so far for the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday. 

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said at least 6,000 applicants registered in 18 Special Registration Anywhere Program (SRAP) sites in Metro Manila as of August 4. 

“Sa aking palagay, sa buong Pilipinas nakaka-200,000 na tayo more or less. Kasi 'yung reports sa amin, coming from the field, dumadating sa atin nang pakonti-konti. Pero siyempre, later pa papadala sa amin ’yung kabuuan,” said Garcia.

(In my opinion, we have around 200,000 registrants. The reports coming from the field are submitted to us bit by bit but later, the whole file will be transferred to us.)

Garcia previously said the poll body is targeting to register 1 million voters for the BSKE.

“Sa amin naman, ma-reach man 'yung 1 million [registrants] or not, it doesn't matter pa rin. Kasi nu'ng nagparehistro kami February 12 to September 30, inabot lang ng 2.2 million na botante, eh napakahabang buwan 'yun. Ito 10 days lang pero 1 million ang ambisyon natin,” he added. 

(Even if we reach the 1 million target or not, that is not an issue for us. We have registered 2.2 M voters from February 12 to September 30, that is a long period. Now, we are aiming for 1 million in 10 days.)

The Comelec opened the 10-day nationwide voter registration for the 2025 BSKE on Friday, August 1. It is slated to run until Sunday, August 10.

Voter registration in SRAP sites, however, will last until August 7. 

According to the poll chief, majority or 73% of registrants in some SRAP sites, including train stations, were new voters. Others were applying for voter reactivation. 

“Simula pa nu'ng Friday, blockbuster. Sobrang overwhelming ng pinapakita na interes na magpa-rehistro lalo na mga kabataan,” he added. 

(There were a lot of registrants starting last Friday. We are overwhelmed with the interest they were showing, especially from youth.)

The Comelec set up SRAP booths in various areas in Metro Manila including malls, hospitals, and airports. 

Meanwhile, Garcia also reiterated that Malacañang confirmed the August 12 signing of the proposed law on BSKE, saying the Comelec will resume voters registration for the elections in October until July 2026 should the polls be formally postponed. 

The 2025 BSKE is scheduled on December 1. — RSJ/KG, GMA Integrated News