FOLLOWING the extension of the lockdown in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its surrounding provinces this week, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also prolonged the suspension of its voter registration in the said areas.
In his Twitter account, Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez announced there will be no voter registration in NCR plus, which includes Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan this week.
However, the poll official said voter registration for the rest of the country will proceed normally from Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Last week, Comelec announced it will temporarily halt its voter registration in the NCR plus from March 29 to April 2 after the government place the area under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and as part of the nationwide commemoration of the Holy Week.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte last Saturday approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to extend the ECQ in NCR plus from April 5 to 11 to slowdown the increase in the number of new novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases daily.
Malacañang said the government will decide whether to extend or remove ECQ for NCR plus depending on the number of the infections and health-care utilization in the said area by end of the week.
As of March 25, Comelec said it already recorded 2.4 million of its expected 4 million newly registered voter for the 2021 National and Local Elections. The deadline for voter registration for the upcoming polls is on September 3.