• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting to register an additional 150,000 voters across the Negros Island Region (NIR) ahead of the 2028 national and local elections.
Comelec-NIR Regional Director Lionel Marco Castillano said on Thursday, Nov. 12 the poll agency aims to increase the region’s voter population by five percent, taking into account its projected population growth.
The target covers Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, which collectively have about three million registered voters.
With Negros Occidental being expected to account for the bulk of the additional registrants, Castillano said the Comelec is also aiming to push Negros Oriental’s voter population beyond the one-million mark.
Negros Oriental currently has 985,623 registered voters.
Castillano appealed to eligible voters, particularly first-time registrants, to register early to avoid being disenfranchised in the 2028 elections.
Voter registration resumed on Nov. 10, with the deadline set for July 30, 2027.
He said the Comelec would intensify its efforts to reach out to potential registrants, but acknowledged challenges in the registration process, including limited time, insufficient personnel, and the number of voter registration teams, which has not increased.
He also noted that some applicants, particularly in major cities, have been unable to avail themselves of registration services due to capacity limitations.
“We are encouraging everyone to register early rather than wait until the last few days before the deadline,” he said.
Castillano said the NIR is not among the country’s top 10 regions in terms of registered voters.
He noted that the region’s voter population is relatively smaller compared with other regions, particularly Central Visayas, where Cebu alone has around three million voters. | GPB
