Comelec eyes 1.5M voter registrants for 2025 BSKE

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now eyeing to register around 1.5 million voters for the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) after hitting its initial target of 1 million registrants. 

Elections chief George Erwin Garcia made the remarks Wednesday, saying the number of voter applications for the 2025 BSKE reached more than 1 million as of Tuesday, August 5. 

“Base sa estimate natin, halos mahigit na tayong isang milyon after five days ng registration,” Garcia told reporters. 

(Based on our estimate, we have  over 1 million registrants after five days.)

“Pinakamadami sa panahon sa kasaysayan ng Comelec, kasaysayan ng elections sa bansa.  Nagtataka kami pero kami ay natutuwa dahil biro ninyo sa napakaigsing panahon, mahigit isang milyon,” he said. 

(That is the highest in the history of the Comelec and the country’s elections. We are puzzled but we are elated because we received more than 1 million registrations in such short period.)

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

However, voter registration in Special Registration Anywhere Program (SRAP) sites in Metro Manila will last until August 7. 

“Inaasahan natin sa mga naitira pa na mga limang araw pa na mas dadami pa. Siguro, aabutin tayo ng 1.3 million hanggang 1.5 million new registrants sa sampung araw lang  na ‘yan,” Garcia said.

(We are expecting to log more applications in the last five days. Maybe we’ll hit 1.3 million to 1.5 million registrants.)

“Ang target na natin ay 1.5 million,” he added. 

(1.5M is our new target.)

The poll body previously said it is targeting to register 1 million voters for the 2025 BSKE. It also set up SRAP booths in various areas in Metro Manila including malls, hospitals, and airports to ease the registration process for the voters. 

Lapse into law

Meanwhile, Garcia said the poll body has received an information that there will longer be a formal ceremony for the signing into law of the proposed bill postponing the December 1 BSKE. Instead, the proposed measure will lapse into law on August 14. 

“May information tayo lately na mukhang wala ng formal ceremony. Ang mangyayari na lang, the bill will lapse into law by August 14 and therefore, automatically magiging batas na,” he added. 

(We received an information there may be no formal ceremony. Instead the the proposed measure will lapse into law on August 14.)

Garcia earlier said Malacañang informed the Comelec that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to sign the proposed legislation seeking to extend the term of office for the barangay and SK officials from three to four years, and postpone the elections to the first Monday of November 2026 on August 12. 

“Kung magkaroon man ng signing, maganda yun pero kung mag-lapse into wala ring problema. Basta ang Comelec, magtutuloy-tuloy kami sa aming paghahanda,” he added. 

(If there will be a ceremony, that’s good. If it lapse into law, that is also okay with us. For our part, we will continue our preparations for the BSKE.)

The 2025 BSKE is initially set on December 1, 2025. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News