Senator Kiko Pangilinan made a fresh push to urge eligible individuals to register, saying the people’s vote for the right leaders will be key to winning over the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Magparehistro po tayo bilang botante, nasa Pilipinas man kayo o nasa abroad. Kung hindi kayo nakaboto nung huling dalawang eleksyon, i-reactivate ang inyong voter’s record (Please register as a voter, whether you are in the Philippines or a Filipino based abroad. If you missed voting in the last two elections, reactivate your voter’s record),” Pangilinan said.
“Napakahalaga ng boto ng Pilipino ngayon.”
“Napakahalaga ng boto ng Pilipino ngayon. Kailangan ng ating sama-samang lakas para mailuklok ang mga tapat, marunong, at maayos na pinuno para makatayo tayo muli bilang isang bansa. Mas mabilis o mas matagal pa ba tayong makakawala sa pandemya? Malaki ang ‘say’ ng iboboto natin sa sagot sa tanong na ‘yan (The Filipino vote has never mattered more than it does right now. We must exercise our collective power to install honest, competent, decent leaders to pull our nation back up. Are we going to get out of this pandemic sooner or later? Who we vote for will largely determine the answer to that question),” the veteran legislator added.
The seasoned lawmaker urged the people to display the bayanihan spirit anew in assisting one another to make the registration process easier while observing health protocols, noting that the country’s COVID response has been botched and graft-ridden.
“Kung walang kupit, kayang labanan ang sakit (Without corruption, we can easily fight the disease),” the senator said.
The Commission on Elections recently announced that its en banc has approved registration from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in areas under MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine), starting September 6, 2021. In-mall voter registration will also be allowed.
Pangilinan also urged Comelec to also find ways to make the registration process more accessible by deploying additional personnel and installing more centers as fewer registrants can be accommodated at a time because of physical distancing.
Comelec has also recently authorized the online reactivation of records for delisted voters to help ease the volume of people in registration centers.
This will also help individuals with special needs and senior citizens who are barred from going out due to quarantine restrictions.
“Magparehistro at huwag itapon ang pagkakataong marinig ang boses natin sa halalan sa Mayo 2022 (Let’s register and not throw away this chance to make our voices heard in the May 2022 elections),” Pangilinan stressed.
“Kapag bumoboto tayo, nagiging bahagi tayo ng pamumuno.”
“Kapag bumoboto tayo, nagiging bahagi tayo ng pamumuno at tumutulong tayo sa pagtukoy ng direksyon ng ating bansa at sa kapalaran nating mga Pilipino sa susunod na tatlo o anim na taon. Ganyan kahalaga ang boto natin (When we vote, we become part of the process of governance and we can help define the direction our county will take and our fate as Filipinos in the next three or six years. This is how important our votes are),” he added.
The last day of voter’s registration is on September 30.
