Satellite voter registration in Cebu to resume in 2026 — Comelec 7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Satellite voter registration in Cebu province will resume in 2026 after setbacks due to typhoon Tino and other recent calamities, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Central Visayas said.
Comelec Regional Director Francisco Pobe said that while registration at Comelec offices continues, the agency suspended some offsite registration to give disaster-stricken areas time to recover.
“In Cebu, based on the recommendations of our personnel, adto na sa sunod tuig ang mga satellite registration para matagaan og chance na makarecover usa and at the same time ma-stable ang ilang mga area,” he told reporters on Tuesday, December 16.
(The satellite registration has been moved to next year to give communities time to recover and, at the same time, allow their areas to stabilize.)
Meanwhile, satellite registration in Bohol continues as scheduled.
READ: IN PHOTOS: Aftermath of typhoon Tino in Cebu
Comelec offices affected
Pobe said typhoon Tino damaged some Comelec offices in northern Cebu when it hit the area on November 4, 2025.
“Pinakadako nga naapektuhan didto sa norte kadtong sa Danao City, nawash out gyud ang opisina. [Apil pud] ang Liloan ug Compostela sa mga nadaot,” he said.
(The worst damage was in the north, particularly in Danao City, where the office was completely washed out. Liloan and Compostela were also among the affected areas.)
Records accessible after disaster
Flooding affected stock documents, but Pobe assured that backup records remain accessible.
“Naa man mi back up na gipadala namo sa Manila, at the same time naa ang among soft copies (We have backups that were sent to Manila, and we also have soft copies),” he said.
Pobe also appealed for assistance from appropriate authorities including the national Comelec office, for the renovation of damaged workplaces and replacement of equipment.
READ: Comelec reopens voter registration for 2026 Barangay, SK elections
Far from target
As of Saturday, December 13, the region has registered 53,524 new voters.
Pobe said this figure is about 20 percent of the target of 150,000 to 200,000 registered voters. He urged the public to register early.
“One of the challenges is somehow, because of the long period for registration, some are complacent to participate. They wait until the deadline,” he said.
Another challenge is unstable weather, which discourages the eligible public to register even in satellite sites.
READ: Comelec to resume voters’ registration starting October 20
Voter registration runs until May 18, 2026, in anticipation of the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in November 2026.
Registrants must be Filipino citizens aged at least 18 on or before the elections.
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