Bakla sa 2010 - The Elections Coverage

New voters and/or "New" regostrants (those whose records with the Comelec are already non-existent) MAY download the Application Form for Registration (4 files) here below:

• Copy for the Election Officer front 
• Copy for the Election Officer back (make sure this is printed back-to-back with the front copy)
  
• Copy for the Provincial File
• Copy for the Central File 

All four (4) files MUST be downloaded and the front and back copies for the Election Officer must be printed back-to-back. Also, DO NOT sign and affix your thumbmarks at home. The signature and thumbmarks must be affixed in front of the COMELEC officer.

All the other forms are available for viewing online, but they are not valid for application (you must acquire the actual forms from the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) office in your distric/municipality or from satellite (i.e. special registration in schools, colleges and barangays).

So what are you waiting for? Tara na!  Register na!





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I previously wrote about my experience in processing my application for registration. Mine and my father's were actually Transfer of Registration Records from another city/municipality. My mom's name couldn't be found in the database so she was asked to process an application for registration (new voter).


In case you are a new voter (has never registered to vote, or the records are already missing from the records - check here), here are the Procedures for Filing of Applications for Registration:

Procedure for filing of applications for registration.

1. The applicant shall personally appear before the EO, state his name and exact address, specifying the house number, name of street, area, district, purok or sitio, and barangay where he resides, or a brief description of his residence, and present any of the following current identification documents that bears applicant’s photograph and signature:
   
   
   1. Employee’s identification card (ID) with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;
      
      
   2. Postal ID;
      
      
   3. Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority;
      
      
   4. Senior Citizen’s ID;
      
      
   5. Driver’s license;
      
      
   6. NBI/PNP clearance;
      
      
   7. Passport;
      
      
   8. SSS/GSIS ID;
      
      
   9. Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID;
      
      
   10. License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC); and
       
       
   11. Any other valid ID.
   In the absence of any of the abovementioned identification documents, the applicant may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct, or by any of his relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity who are registered voters of the same city/municipality.
   Community Tax Certificates (cedula) or certifications/identification cards issued by barangay officials shall not be honored as valid identification documents.
   If the identity of the applicant cannot be established by any of the aforementioned methods, he shall not be issued an application form. In case of downloaded application forms, the same shall not be accepted.
   
2. The EO shall then verify from the National List of Registered Voters (NLRV) if the applicant’s name is found therein. If the applicant is found to be registered in the same city/municipality he shall be advised that he need not apply for registration. If he is found to be registered voter in another city/municipality, he shall be advised to apply for transfer for registration pursuant to Section 10 hereof.
   
   
3. If the applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV, the EO shall, using the barangay precinct map, verify whether or not the address given by the applicant is located within the territorial boundary of any of the precincts within the jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality. If the applicant is not a resident, the EO shall advise the applicant to proceed to the OEO of the district/city/municipality where he resides.
   If the applicant resides within the territorial jurisdiction of the district/city/municipality, the EO shall:
   
   1. Inform the applicant of the qualifications and disqualifications for registration;
      
      
   2. Determine the precinct where the applicant belongs by referring to the barangay precinct map. The applicant shall be assigned temporarily to the mother precinct comprising his residence. The precinct assignment shall be finalized after the approval of the application. Daughter precinct(s) shall be created to accommodate approved applicants in excess of the 200-voter per precinct limit.
      
      In case of boundary dispute, the EO shall maintain the status quo.
      
      
   3. Indicate the precinct assignment of the applicant at the upper right-hand portion of the application form; and
      
      
   4. Issue the prescribed application form in three (3) copies.
      
      
4. Upon receipt of the application forms, the applicant shall personally accomplish the same separately in his own handwriting and submit the accomplished application forms to the EO. TITLES SUCH AS REVEREND, DATU, ATTORNEY, SULTAN, DOCTOR, HADJI, ENGINEER, BAI AND OTHERS SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED.
   
   
5. If the applicant has a downloaded and duly-accomplished application form, it shall be signed and thumbmarked in the presence of the EO.
   
   
6. After ensuring that the application form has been filled up correctly, completely and legibly, the EO shall write the Application Form Number. The Application Form Number shall consist of four parts. The first two (2) digit represents the province code, the second two (2) digit represents the city/municipal code, the third two (2) digit represents the Data Capture Machine (DCM) Number, and the last seven (7) digit represents the control code starting after the last code number assigned.
   
   
7. The EO shall return the application form to the applicant and direct the applicant to proceed to the DCM Operator for data capturing.
   
   The application form of an applicant who refuses to submit himself for the live capture of his biometrics data shall not be accepted and deemed not filed.
   
   
8. The DCM Operator shall proceed to capture the complete biometrics data of the applicant, affix his initial below the space provided for the EO’s signature in Part 2 of the application form and direct the latter to go back to the EO.
   
   
9. The EO shall:

1. Administer the oath;
   
   The application form of an applicant who refuses to take the oath shall not be accepted and deemed not filed.
   
   
2. Affix his signature in the appropriate space on the forms;
   
   
3. Retain the three (3) copies; and
   
   
4. Cut the bottom portion of the application form (copy for EO) and give it to the applicant to serve as Acknowledgment Receipt and proof of fact of filing of his application.

Source: Comelec


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Are you a registered voter but cannot vote in the 2010 elections because you are in a different city (within the Philippines)? You can still vote!  How? Simply process an Application for Transfer of Registration Records from another district, city or municipality. This is what I did last Monday, and boy was it easy! Read my experience here or read the official Comelec procedures below:

Procedure for filing of application for transfer of registration records from another district/city/municipality. –

1. Any registered voter who has transferred residence to another district/city/municipality, at least six (6) months before the May 10, 2010 Synchronized National and Local Elections, may apply for transfer of his registration records with the Office of the EO of his new residence by personally accomplishing both sides, in three (3) copies, the prescribed application form hereto attached as Annex “C” (CEF-1B – Application for Transfer/Application for Transfer with Reactivation).
   
   
2. The EO shall then verify from the NLRV if the applicant’s name is included in said list and whether the status of his registration record is active or deactivated.
   
   For this purpose, the Information Technology Department (ITD) shall provide all EOs with the updated soft copy of the NLRV after each ERB hearing.
   
   
3. If Applicant’s Name is included in the NLRV -
   
   The EO shall give the applicant three (3) copies of the prescribed Application for Transfer/Application for Transfer with Reactivation. The applicant shall thereafter accomplish both sides of the application form separately in three (3) copies in his own handwriting and submit the same to the EO, who shall ensure that the application form has been filled up correctly, completely and legibly.
   
   It is important that the EO shall check the box corresponding to the appropriate type of transfer. In the assignment of precinct number and Application Form Number, the EO shall follow the procedure provided in Sec. 7 hereof.
   
   
4. If applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV
   
   The EO shall advise the applicant that he may, if he so desires, file an application for registration. The EO shall thereafter issue the prescribed application form (CEF-1A – Application for Registration) to the applicant who shall accomplish said form in accordance with Section 7 hereof. In addition, the EO shall issue to the applicant a Certification (sample form attached as Annex “D”) stating that applicant intended to apply for transfer but he was instead advised to apply for original registration.
   
   
5. Thereafter, the EO shall direct the applicant to proceed to the DCM Operator for the capturing of his biometrics data. The DCM Operator shall affix his initial below the space provided for the EO’s signature in Part 2 of the application form.
   
   
6. The EO shall retain the three (3) copies, cut the bottom portion of the application form (copy for EO) and give it to the applicant to serve as Acknowledgment Receipt and proof of fact of filing his application.
   
   In support of the application for transfer, the applicant may submit a certified copy of his current Voter Registration Record (VRR) or Voter ’s Identification Card generated under the Voters Validation System (VVS), on or before the scheduled ERB hearing.
   
   
7. The application for transfer of registration records to another district/city/municipality shall be subjected to the requirements of notice, hearing and action of the ERB. Within a period of three (3) days from approval of the application for transfer, the EO of voter’s new residence shall, by registered mail or any other fastest means, give notice to the EO of the applicant’s former residence of such approval.
   
   After receiving the notice, the EO of the applicant’s former residence shall delete the name of the approved voter-transferee in the voters’ list, remove his voter registration record from the precinct book of voters and send said record to the EO of the applicant’s new residence. The actions taken by the EO of the former residence shall not require an ERB approval.

 
 Source: Comelec




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If you have been a registered voter for the Philippine Elections before 2009, you can find your precinct or verify if your name registration is still active, already inactive, or no longer in the records of the Commision on Elections; all you need to do is have the following information handy: 

1. First Name
   
2. Middle Name
3. Last Name
4. Month of Birth
5. Day of Birth
6. Year of Birth

You can check your status or find your precinct online at Comelec's Website (click here to go to Find Your Precinct page).



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Here are the qualifications for registration.  Who may register?


Section   6.   Who may register. – Any Filipino citizen who is:

1. At least eighteen (18) years of age;
   
   
2. A resident of the Philippines for at least one (1) year and in the place wherein he proposes to vote for at least six (6) months on or before the day of the election; and
   
   
3. Not otherwise disqualified by law.

Any person, who has not yet reached the required voting age or period of residence on the day of registration but will possess the same on or before the day of election (May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections) may register as a voter. The applications for this group of persons shall be filed not earlier than May 12, 2009.

Section   7. Who are disqualified to register. -  The following are disqualified from registering as a voter:

1. Any person who has been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon or amnesty;
   
   
2. Any person who has been adjudged by final judgment of a competent court or tribunal of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly constituted government, such as rebellion, sedition, violation of the firearms laws, or any crime against national security; and
   
   
3. Insane or incompetent persons as declared by competent authority unless subsequently declared by proper authority that such person is no longer insane or incompetent.

Any person disqualified to register under paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall automatically reacquire the right to vote upon expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence.

Source: Comelec Website


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My parents and I left our house at around 8:30 AM and headed to the San Antonio (Makati) Barangay Hall.  I was so excited since I haven't voted in a while - the last being the 1998 Presidential Elections. I registered to become a voter sometime in 1997 (I'm not sure) for the barangay elections - my first - in my hometown Davao City. After 1998, I was not able to vote due to a number of reasons:  it was too costly for me to fly back to Davao, there was no such thing as Go Lite or EconoLight flights, and there was insufficient information about registration transfers (in the tri-media and online). 

In the past few years, I was dismayed and disappointed at myself for not being able to vote (and I and some of my colleagues just did our own mock elections at work in 2007). Tired of getting disappointed with myself, I decided that I WILL VOTE in the 2010 Philippine Elections. Since December of 2008, I have been doing my own research online about the registration for the 2010 elections.  Good thing the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Website is now updated with all the pertinent information about the 2010 elections (the website is quite a challenge to navigate though, so I will post the details in individual posts here in this blog).

Last week, when my parents processed their Senior Citizen records transfer/change of residence (we just moved two weeks ago) at the San Antonio Barangay Hall, they found out that special Comelec Registrations will be conducted this week (from June 8 to June 10).  Although the requirement (as posted on the bulletin boards) was just one valid ID (check the list of Valid IDs here), you may be required to present a proof of residence (utility bills under your name, Police or NBI Clearance with your current address), so just prepare those.

When we got to the barangay hall, there was already a long queue (a good sign! people are resposnible!) for the acquisition of the Registration Forms. Before we got our forms, we had to submit a photocopy of our valid ID (we did not have our IDs photocopied, good thing the barangay hall had an in-house photocopying service - for a fee, of course). We had to wait eons and eras before we got the forms because there were too many people and the process was quite disorganized. When we finally got our forms, my folks and I decided to just walk home (a block away) and fill them out at the comforts of our own home.  The heat inside the barangay hall plus the sardines can-like throng of people were too much for us to take. (The forms are available online but only the new registration - for new voters - can be downloaded and accepted). When we finally finished filling out the forms - three to six pages depending on the type of registration - we headed back to the barangay hall. It was 11:45 AM but we were told that they will accept our forms at 1:00 PM. Why, you ask? LUNCH BREAK!

While I would like to rant and complain about that, I will not because I understand fully how understaffed they are, how underpaid they are, and how much work is required of them. 

1:00 PM came and we went back to the barangay hall.  To my surprise, the place was not as jampacked as it was before lunch. There was no queue for getting forms, no queue for photos to be taken. I submitted all our forms at around 1:15. Then my folks and I waited approximately five minutes (imagine that, JUST five minutes!) before our names were called for the photo shoot and biometrics capture.

I asked permission if I could take videos of the whole process and Mr. Herson Rojas, Election Assistant II, gave me a go signal. He and the rest of his staff were quite apprehensive at first, but after I explained to them what it was for, they were all too accommodating and just let me take videos. (They of course asked for my credentials and a photocopy of my ID - which I gladly gave to them, including my business card and the URL for this blog).

The whole process of having your photo taken, your signature recorded, and your fingerprints captured took less than five minutes!  I noticed that they were more organized this time (than earlier in the day) and I've heard that their computers, which went bonkers in the morning, were now working in good condition.

After the whole biometrics and photo capture (in an air-conditioned room, thank goodness!), they required us to affix our signatures on the record book an do the manual (with ink) thumbmarks on the actual registration form.  After all that was done, they gave me this sheet of paper - an Acknowledgment Receipt.  All that's left now is wait for the Voter's ID to be mailed to my address!

If you take out the queue of people, and take out the heat, the whole process can be done in less than 15 minutes! 

So what about you? Have you registered yet? Have you applied for a transfer of records yet? Have you registered and voted in previous elections but have not had your biometrics data captured? 

If you answered no, then please do it!  Let's encourage our friends, families and relatives to do our part in shaping the future of our country!

Register na!

ARCHIVED VIDEOS (Recorded Live) can be viewed here: 

http://bakla2010.tumblr.com

and

http://qik.com/bakla

or via the Embedded Live stream at the header of this blog

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From the COMELEC Website:

Applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation and changes/corrections of entries in the registration records/inclusion of registration records/reinstatement of name in the list of voters, shall be personally filed beginning December 2, 2008 to December 15, 2009, at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) of the district/city/municipality where the applicant resides from Monday to Friday, during regular office hours at 8:00 o’clock a.m. to 5:00 o’clock p.m.. The applications shall be heard by the Election Registration Board (ERB) at the OEO, in accordance with the following schedule:

Period to file applications	Last day to post Notice of Hearing	Last day to file opposition to the applications for registration/transfer of registration records	Hearing / Approval / Disapproval of Applications
December 2, 2008 to December 19, 2008	January 5, 2009	January 12, 2009	January 19, 2009
January 2 to March 31, 2009	April 6, 2009	April 13, 2009	April 20, 2009
April 1 to June 30, 2009	July 6, 2009	July 13, 2009	July 20, 2009
July 1 to September 30, 2009	October 5, 2009	October 12, 2009	October 19, 2009
October 1 to December 15, 2009	December 18, 2009	December 22, 2009	January 4, 2010

Bakla sa 2010 - Acquiring a Police Clearance from AJ Matela on Vimeo.

Here are the steps to getting your Police Clearance (Makati Police Station, Ayala Ave. Ext. - near Makati Central Fire Station):

Bakla Sa 2010 is a special blog project of AJ Matela and The Bakla Blogs Network. The Bakla sa 2010 project aims to educate and inform voters about the upcoming 2010 Philippine Elections. There will be citizen reportage on the registration process, the campaign period, and election day itself.

The Bakla sa 2010 coverage will employ various online media and tools such as microblogs (Twitter, Plurk), social networking sites (Facebook, Friendster, Myspace), video blogs (Qik and uStream.tv), podcasts and blog entries.

See the elections through Baklang AJ's point of view!