Philippines Comelec suspends biometric voter validation to build up workforce

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Philippines has ordered that the validation of biometric voter records be stopped, but not because it’s giving up – it needs more manpower.

Reported in Inquirer News, resolution No. 9741 explains that the stoppage is needed to ramp up its workforce in preparations for imminent biometric voter registration in the country, set to take place July 22-31, this year.

As we’ve reported previously in BiometricUpdate.com, Comelec has recently come out to say that there are more than nine million voters in the country that have not yet registered biometrics for 2016 elections.

Though 2016 is nearly three years away, nine million voters is a significant constituency, and the registration process requires manpower. This is a massive undertaking, and the 2016 election will be one to watch.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the number of registered voters for the country had exceeded 52 million.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez this total is the highest ever recorded to participate in the country’s elections. According to a report in ABSCBNnews.com, the first automated polls in the Philippines in 2010 saw nearly 51 million voters register.

Reported in BiometricUpdate.com, in 2012, Philippine Congress approved a bill requiring all voters in the Philippines to undergo biometric registrations for the country’s 2016 elections. This will entail voters submitting their photograph, fingerprints and signatures for verification.

The voter registration period in the country ends in 2015.

Article Topics

Comelec  |  election  |  fingerprint  |  Philippines  |  verification  |  voter registry