Comelec Regional Director Rafael Olano (left) meets with Akbayan Youth organizer Chatch Calderon (right) and his companion in his office. (CONTRIBUTED)
THE members of Akbayan Youth met with Commission on Election (Comelec-7) Regional Director Rafael Olano to ask him to extend the deadline of the Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) voters’ registration period.
Akbayan youth regional organizer Chatch Calderon said they asked Olano if they could get an extension especially that most SK voters are students.
“Most of us youth are studying and having a hard time going to the Comelec to register. So these are some of the reasons why we ask for an extension,” Calderon said.
He said there were students who got discouraged because of the long line registrants at the Comelec.
When asked to comment on the youth group’s request, Olano said the Comelec held voters’ registration during weekends to accommodate the students.
The registration for SK voters and regular voters for the barangay election will end on July 30.
“We really cannot extend the registration because gahol na tayo sa oras (we run out of time),” he said.
Olano said the decision to extend the registration period lies with the Comelec Central office.
“Yung hindi naka rehistro (Those who were not able to register) we have weekend registration. So last Sunday nagkaroon sana sila ng time para maka rehistro (So last Sunday they were supposed to have to have time to register),” he said.
He said that hopefully students who were not able to register this weekend will have to register on Saturday, the last day of the registration.
Olano said they were expecting an influx of registrants on the last two days of registration.