• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City Election Registration Board (ERB) has disapproved 83 voter registration applications following opposition, summons, and verification against the national voter database.
City Election Officer Atty. Kathrina Trinio-Caña, who chairs the ERB, said the rejected applications were part of the more than 8,000 filed during the April 1 to May 18 voter registration.
Of the 42 applications opposed in Barangay 9, 36 were disapproved after most applicants failed to attend the hearing set by the ERB, while others were found to reside in different barangays.
“Most of them did not appear during the ERB hearing, so their opportunity to rebut the allegations against their registration was forfeited,” Caña explained. “Declarations and testimonies presented showed that several applicants had registrations in other barangays and actually reside there, supported by affidavits of service executed during ocular inspections and their receipt of hearing notices and summons.”
The opposition was filed on May 25 by Marites Ramos, a registered voter of Barangay 9.
Meanwhile, of the 23 applicants issued summons, 14 were disapproved for not residing in the barangay.
Verification from the national voter list also revealed that 15 individuals had existing registrations in other localities and should have applied for transfer instead. Nine overseas voters required reinstatement applications, while another nine had double registrations or incorrect application types.
Caña clarified that those whose applications were disapproved may still register, but must do so in the barangay where they actually reside.
Latest records show Bacolod City has more than 361,000 registered voters for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, with database clean-up efforts still ongoing. | TMD
