Voter registration for 2025 polls starts; Comelec eyes 3 million new voters

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections on Monday kicked off its seven-month voter registration period for the 2025 national and local elections.

Filipinos have until September 30 this year to register as voters for the 2025 midterm elections.

Applicants may process their registration in any of the poll body’s registration sites, including Comelec offices and satellite or mall registration sites.

On Monday, the Comelec also launched its Registered Anywhere Program (RAP) registration sites — the electoral body’s “one-stop shop” to facilitate voter registration in designated areas like malls and schools.

Around 170 malls across the country are expected to host the RAP, which Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said will result in a speedier process where a registrant can finish their applicable in just under 10 minutes.

Voter registration in RAP sites will be until August 31 this year, the Comelec added.

The poll body expects some three million Filipinos to register as new voters ahead of the elections in 2025, which will bring the total number of voters in the country to around 71 million.

Comelec's offices will be open from Mondays to Saturdays, except for holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the poll body said in their official social media channels.

To be eligible, Filipinos must be at least 18 years old on election day (May 12, 2025), have been a resident of the Philippines for at least one year and should have been a resident in the area where they propose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the 2025 NLE.

Applicants must fill up the application form, which is available free of charge in Comelec offices or can be downloaded at the Comelec website to be printed on long bond paper (8 in. x 13 in.). Along with the application form, registrants must also provide valid IDs with their signature.

In addition to the application form, registrants also must present valid IDs bearing his/her signature.