Registration of Voters
Voter Registration – refers to the act of
accomplishing and filing of a sworn application for
registration by a qualified voter before the election
officer of the city or municipality wherein he
resides and including the same in the book of
registered voters upon approval by the Election
Registration Board [Section 3(a), RA8189].
Registered voter – in order that a qualified elector
may vote in any election, plebiscite or referendum,
he must be registered in the Permanent List of
Voters for the city or municipality in which he
resides. [Sec. 115, B.P. 881]
Rationale for registration requirements,
qualifications, and disqualifications
The right to vote is not a natural right but is a right
created by law. Suffrage is a privilege granted by
the State to such persons or classes as are most
likely to exercise it for the public good. [People v.
Corral (1936)]
Necessity for Registration
Registration is essential to the exercise of the right
of suffrage, not the possession thereof. It is part and
parcel of the right to vote and an indispensable
element in the election process.[De Leon, Law on
Public Officers citing Aporadera v. Sotto, 3 SCRA
626 (1961)]
Registration does not confer the right to vote but it
is a condition precedent to the exercise of the right
[Yrav. Abano (1928)]
Biometrics validation requirement is not an
unconstitutional substantive requirement: Even
if failure to comply with the biometrics validation
requirement will result in the deactivation of the
voter’s registration [under R.A. No. 10367 or the
Biometrics Law of 2013], it is not unconstitutional.
The requirement is a “mere aspect of the
registration procedure, of which the State has the
right to reasonably regulate.” [KabataanPartylist v.
COMELEC (2015)]
“Proceeding from the significance of registration as
a necessary requisite to the right to vote, the State
undoubtedly, in the exercise of its inherent police
power, may then enact laws to safeguard and
regulate the act of voter's registration for the
ultimate purpose of conducting honest, orderly and
peaceful election[.]“ [Akbayan-Youth v. COMELEC
(2001)]
Qualifications for Registration (In General)
1. Any Filipino citizen who is not yet a
registered voter, not otherwise disqualified
by law
2. Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age
on the day of the election
3. Must have resided in the Philippines for at
least one (1) year, and in the place wherein
they propose to vote, for at least six (6)
months immediately preceding the election
[Section 9, RA8189]
Qualifications for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK)
1. Must be at least fifteen (15) years of age on
or before the day of election
2. Must be residing in the barangay for at least
six (6) months on or before the day of the
election
3. Must be a citizen not otherwise disqualified
by law [Section , RA10214]
Disqualifications for Registration1:
1. Any person who has been sentenced by final
judgment to suffer imprisonment for not less
than one (1) year, such disability not having
been removed by plenary pardon or
amnesty;
2. Any person who has been adjudged by final
judgment by a competent court or tribunal of
having committed any crime involving
disloyalty to the duly-constituted
government, such as, rebellion, insurrection,
violation of the firearms laws, or any crime
against national security unless restored to
his/her full civil and political rights in
accordance with law2;
3. Insane or incompetent person as declared by
competent authority unless subsequently
declared by proper authority that such
person is no longer insane or incompetent
[Section 10, Resolution No.9853]
1The records of registered voters who possess the
above disqualifications will be deactivated.
2 For numbers 1 and 2, they shall automatically
reacquire the right to vote upon expiration of five
(5) years after service of sentence.
Documentary Requirements: For physically disabled persons: Application for
registration may be prepared by:
1. Valid ID
(a) Any relative within the 4th civil degree of
a. If no valid ID, the applicant may be
consanguinity or affinity;
identified under oath by any
registered voter of the precinct where (b) By the Election Officer; or
he (or she) intends to be registered, (c) Any member of an accredited citizen’s arm
or by any of his (or her) relatives
within the fourth civil degree of
consanguinity or affinity. No Registration for Absentee Voters
registered voter or relative shall be
allowed to identify more than three Qualifications:
(3) applicants. All citizens of the Philippines abroad, who are not
b. Community Tax Certificates otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18)
(cedula) and PNP clearance shall not years of age on the day of elections, may vote for
be honored as valid identification 1. President,
documents for purposes of
registration. 2. Vice-president,

c. List of Valid Ids: 3. Senators and

i. Employee's identification 4. Party-list representatives.

card (ID), with the signature Disqualifications:
of the employer or authorized
1. Lost Filipino citizenship in accordance with
representative
Philippine laws;
ii. Postal ID
2. Expressly renounced their Philippine
iii. PWD Discount citizenship and who have pledged allegiance
iv. Student’s ID or Library Card, to a foreign country;
signed by the school 3. Convicted in a final judgment by a court or
authority tribunal of an offense punishable by
v. Senior Citizen’s ID imprisonment of not less than one (1) year,
including those who have committed and
vi. Driver’s License been found guilty of Disloyalty as defined
vii. NBI Clearance under Article 137 of the Revised Penal
Code,
viii. Passport
Except: when such disability is removed by
ix. SSS/GSIS ID plenary pardon or amnesty;
x. IBP ID Any person disqualified to vote under this
xi. PRC ID subsection shall automatically acquire the
right to vote upon expiration of five (5)
xii. Certificate of Confirmation years after service of sentence;
issued by the NCIP
The Commission may take cognizance of
xiii. Any other valid ID final judgments issued by foreign courts or
tribunals only on the basis of reciprocity and
subject to the formalities and processes
Registration for Illiterate or Disabled Applicants
prescribed by the Rules of Court on
For illiterate persons: May register with the execution of judgments;
assistance of the Election Officer or any member of
4. An immigrant or a permanent resident
an accredited citizen’s arms.
 Unless: he/she executes, upon registration,
an affidavit prepared for the purpose by the
Commission declaring that he/she shall
resume actual physical permanent residence
in the Philippines not later than three (3)
years from approval of his/her registration
under this Act [B.P.881]. Such affidavit
shall also state that he/she has not applied
for citizenship in another country. Failure to
return shall be the cause for the removal of
the name of the immigrant or permanent
resident from the National Registry of
Absentee Voters and his/her permanent
disqualification to vote in absentia.
5. Insane or incompetent.
Where:
1. Election Registration Board of the city or
municipality where they were domiciled
immediately prior to their departure from the
Philippines, or
2. Representative of the Commission at the
Philippine embassies, consulates and other
foreign service establishments that have
jurisdiction over the locality where they
temporarily reside
Registration as an overseas absentee voter shall be
done in person.
Requirements for Registration
1. Valid Philippine Passport, or in the absence
of such, a certification of the Department of
Foreign Affairs that it has reviewed the
appropriate documents submitted by the
applicant and found them sufficient to
warrant the issuance of a passport, or that
the applicant is a holder of a valid passport
but is unable to produce the same for a valid
reason;
2. Accomplished Registration Form
3. In case of immigrants and permanent
residents not otherwise disqualified to vote
under this Act, an affidavit declaring the
intention to resume actual physical
permanent residence in the Philippines not
later than three (3) years after approval of
his/her registration as an overseas absentee
voter under this Act.
Period of Registration
Generally, daily: The personal filing of application
of registration of voters shall be conducted daily in
the office of the Election Officer during regular
office hours.
Exception [i.e. when registration is prohibited]: No
registration shall be conducted within
(1) 120 days before a regular election
(2) 90 days before a special election [Sec. 8,
R.A. 8189]
COMELEC Resolution 8585, which set the
deadline for voter registration to Oct. 31, 2009
(election was May 10, 2010, or more than 120
days), was declared null and void because Sec. 8 of
RA 8189 has determined that the period of 120 days
before a regular election and 90 days before a
special election is enough time for the COMELEC
to make all the necessary preparations with respect
to the coming elections. COMELEC is granted the
power to fix other periods and dates for pre-election
activities only if the same cannot be reasonably held
within the period provided by law. There is no
ground to hold that the mandate of continuing voter
registration cannot be reasonably held within the
period provided by Sec. 8 of R.A. 8189. [Palatino v.
COMELEC (2009)]
Procedure for Voter’s Registration [Section 12,
Resolution No.9853]
1. The applicant shall personally appear before
the EO, state his/her name and exact
address, specifying the house number, name
of the street, area, district, purok or sitio, and
barangay where he/she resides, or a brief
description of his/her residence, and present
any identification that bears applicant's
photograph and signature.
2. Upon establishing the identity of the
applicant, the EO shall verify the name of
the applicant from the NLRDV.
a. If found If found in the said list,
he/she shall not issue an application
for registration but shall advise the
applicant to apply for
i. Transfer of registration
record, if the name is found
active in the NLRDV
 (another
district/city/municipality);
OR
ii. Reactivation/transfer with
reactivation of registration
record, if the name is found
DEACTIVATED in the
NLRDV
b. If the name does not appear in
NLRDV, the EO shall, using
a barangay precinct map, verify
whether or not the address given by
the applicant is located within the
city/municipality
3. If the address given is within
city/municipality, the EO shall:
a. Inform the applicant of the
qualifications and disqualifications
prescribed by law for a voter
b. Determine the precinct where the
applicant belongs by referring to the
barangay precinct map. The
applicant shall be assigned
temporarily to the mother precinct
comprising his/her residence
c. Indicate the temporary precinct
assignment of the applicant at the
upper right-hand portion of the
application form
i. The precinct assignment shall
be finalized after the approval
of the application. Daughter
precinct(s) shall be created to
accommodate approved
applications in excess of the
200-voter per precinct limit
ii. In case of boundary dispute,
the EO shall maintain the
status quo
d. Issue the prescribed application form
to the applicant in three (3) copies,
unless the applicant has brought
his/her printed application form,
downloaded from the COMELEC
Website, duly accomplished
4. Upon receipt of the application form, the
applicant shall personally accomplish the
same separately in his/her own handwriting
and submit the accomplished application
form to the EO.
a. Titles shall NOT be allowed.
b. If no middle name, the character “_”
shall be used
c. If uncertain of birth date and EO can
ascertain that applicant is of voting
age, the EO shall ask the applicant to
supply a date of birth to the best of
his/her knowledge, and then write
the words "Section 12 (d) case" on
top of the date of birth or anywhere
on the form
the d. If the EO cannot ascertain the
applicant’s age and the applicant
cannot supply the date of birth,
his/her application form shall be
deemed incomplete and shall not be
accepted
5. Once the application form has been
accomplished, the applicant shall return the
same to the EO
6. If the applicant has a duly accomplished
application form, it shall be signed and
thumbmarked in the presence of the EO. In
the event that the applicant has already
affixed his/her signature and imprinted
his/her thumbmark in the accomplished
application form, the applicant shall confirm
the same by affixing his/her signature and
thumbmark at the back portion of the
application form in the presence of the EO
7. After ensuring that the application form has
been filled up correctly, completely and
legibly, the EO shall write down the
Application Form Number, return the form
to the applicant and direct him/her to the
VRM Operator.
8. The VRM Operator, using the Voter
Registration System (VRS) shall:
a. Select File -> Registration
b. Type the Application Number and
press Enter button
c. Select Registration from the drop
down menu
 d. Encode demographics information
and capture the biometrics data of
the applicant
e. Save the record
f. the VRM Operator shall affix his/her
initial below the space provided for
the EO's name and direct the
applicant to submit his/her
application to the EO
9. Upon receipt of the application, the EO
shall:
a. Administer the oath
b. Affix his/her signature in the
appropriate space of the form
c. Retain the three (3) copies
d. Cut the bottom portion of one copy
of the application form, indicate the
date of Board hearing and give it to
the applicant to serve as
Acknowledgment Receipt and proof
of filing
10. Notice and Hearing
a. Notice of hearing shall be posted in
the city or municipal bulletin board
and in his office for at least one (1)
week before the hearing, and furnish
copies thereof to the applicant
concerned, the heads or
representatives of political parties,
and other accredited groups or
organizations which actively
participate in the electoral process in
the city or municipality. On the date
of the hearing, the Election Officer
shall receive such evidence for or
against the applicant.
b. A registrant whose application is not
seasonably objected to shall be
notified in writing therein that no
objection was raised against his
application and that he need not
appear on the date set for the hearing
of his application.
c. All applications for registration shall
be heard and processed on a
quarterly basis.
11. Challenges to Right to Register
a. Any voter, candidate or
representative of a registered
political party may challenge in
writing any application for
registration, stating the grounds
therefor;
b. The challenge shall be under oath
and be attached to the application,
together with the proof of notice of
hearing to the challenger and the
applicant;
c. Oppositions to contest a registrant's
application for inclusion in the
voter's list must, in all cases, be filed
not later than the second Monday of
the month in which the same is
scheduled to be heard or processed
by the Election Registration Board
d. The hearing on the challenge shall be
heard on the third Monday of the
month and the decision shall be
rendered before the end of the
month.
12. Approval/Disapproval
Change of Residence or Address
Any registered voter who has transferred residence
to another city or municipality may apply with the
Election Officer of his new residence for the
transfer of his registration records.
The Application is subject to the notice and hearing
and the approval of the Election Registration Board.
Any person who transfers residence to another city,
municipality, or country solely by reason of his
occupation, profession, employment inprivate or
public service, educational activities, work in
military or navalreservations, service in the army,
navy or air force, the Philippine NationalPolice; or
confinement or detention in government institutions
inaccordance with law, shall be deemed not to have
lost his originalresidence. [Sec. 117, B.P. 881]
Remedies in Registration
Deactivation of Registration
The board shall deactivate the registration and
remove the registration records of the following
persons:
 (a) Sentenced by final judgment to suffer
imprisonment for not less than one (1) year
(b) Committed any crime involving disloyalty
to the duly constituted government such as
rebellion, sedition, violation of the anti-
subversion and firearms laws, or any crime
against national security, unless restored to
his full civil and political rights in
accordance with law
(c) Insane or incompetent;
(d) Did not vote in the two (2) successive
preceding regular elections
Does not include the Sangguniang Kabataan
(SK) elections;
(e) Any person whose registration has been
ordered excluded by the Court; and
(f) Lost his Filipino citizenship.
Persons mentioned in (a) and (b) shall regain their
right to vote automatically upon expiration of five
(5) years after service of sentence
Reactivation of Registration
Any voter whose registration has been deactivated
pursuant to the preceding Section may file with the
Election Officer a sworn application for reactivation
of his registration in the form of an affidavit stating
that the grounds for the deactivation no longer exist
any time but not later than one hundred twenty
(120) days before a regular election and ninety (90)
days before a special election.
Cancellation of Registration
The Board shall cancel the registration records of
those who have died as certified by the Local Civil
Registrar.
Inclusion, Exclusion and Correction of Names of
Voters
Petition for Inclusion
Any person whose application for registration has
been disapproved by the Board or whose name has
been stricken out from the list may file with the
court a petition to include his name in the
permanent list of voters in his precinct at any time
except one hundred five (105) days prior to a
regular election or seventy-five (75) days prior to a
special election. It shall be supported by a
certificate of disapproval of his application and
proof of service of notice of his petition upon the
Board. The petition shall be decided within fifteen
(15) days after its filing.
If the decision is for the inclusion of voters in the
permanent list of voters, the Board shall place the
application for registration previously disapproved
in the corresponding book of voters and indicate in
the application for registration the date of the order
of inclusion and the court which issued the same.
[Sec. 34, RA 8189]
Petition for Exclusion
Any registered voters, representative of a political
party or the Election Officer, may file with the court
a sworn petition for the exclusion of a voter from
the permanent list of voters giving the name,
address and the precinct of the challenged voter at
any time except one hundred (100) days prior to a
regular election or sixty-five (65) days before a
special election. The petition shall be accompanied
by proof of notice to the Board and to the
challenged voter and shall be decided within ten
(10) days from its filing.
If the decision is for the exclusion of the voter from
the list, the Board shall, upon receipt of the final
decision, remove the voter’s registration record
from the corresponding book of voters, enter the
order of exclusion therein, and thereafter place the
record in the inactive file. [Sec. 35, RA 8189]
Petition for Correction of Names
Any registered voter whose registration record has
not been included in the precinct book of voters, or
whose name has been omitted in the list of voters or
who has been included therein with a wrong or
misspelled name may file with the Board an
application for inclusion of his record, or
reinstatement or correction of his name, as the case
may be.
If the application is denied or not acted upon, the
voter may file on any date with the proper
Municipal or Metropolitan Trial Court a petition for
an order directing that the voter's name be entered
or corrected in the list.
The voter shall attach to the petition a certified true
copy of his registration record or identification card
or the entry of his name in the list of voters used in
the preceding election, together with proof that his
application was denied or not acted upon by the
Board and that he has served notice thereof to the
Board.
AKBAYAN YOUTH v. COMELEC (2001)
FACTS: AKBAYAN-YOUTH seek to direct the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to conduct
a special registration before the May 14, 2001
General Elections, of new voters ages 18 to 21.
According to petitioners, around four million youth
failed to register on or before the December 27,
2000 deadline set by the respondent COMELEC
under Republic Act No. 8189.
COMELEC issued Resolution No. 3584 to deny the
request to conduct a two-day additional registration
of new voters, hence this petition for certiorari and
mandamus.
HELD:No grave abuse on the part of COMELEC
DOCTRINE:If a special voter’s registration is
conducted, then the prohibitive period for filing
petitions for exclusion must likewise be adjusted to
a later date. If we do not, then no one can challenge
the Voter’s list since we would already be well into
the 100-day prohibitive period. Aside from being a
flagrant breach of the principles of due process, this
would open the registration process to abuse and
seriously compromise the integrity of the voter’s
list, and consequently, that of the entire election.
It must be remembered that the period serve a vital
role in protecting the integrity of the registration
process. Without the prohibitive periods, the
COMELEC would be deprived of any time to
evaluate the evidence on the application. We would
be obliged to simply take them at face value. If we
compromise on these safety nets, we may very well
end up with a voter’s list full of flying voters,
overflowing with unqualified registrants, populated
with shadows and ghosts.
ROMUALDEZ v. RTC
FACTS: Philip Romualdez, nephew of Imelda
Marcos, served as Brgy. Captain and KBL
Campaign Manager. After EDSA I, he fled to the
US and returned to the Philippines in 1991. He
registered as a voter back in Leyte. Advincula
questioned his registration on the ground that he
was a resident of Massachusetts USA, that his
occupation was in the USA, and he did not have the
residency requirement in order to be registered.
MTC and RTC disqualified him. The issue is W/N
he is still a resident of Leyte. SC ruled that yes,
since a) residence is synonymous to domicile in
election law, and that he did not effect a change of
domicile since he did not voluntary leave his
domicile in Leyte.
HELD:Philip is a resident of Leyte, registration
proper
DOCTRINE: In election cases, the Court treats
domicile and residence as synonymous terms, thus:
"(t)he term "residence" as used in the election law is
synonymous with "domicile", which imports not
only an intention to reside in a fixed place but also
personal presence in that place, coupled with
conduct indicative of such intention." The political
situation brought about by the "People's Power
Revolution" must have truly caused great
apprehension to the Romualdezes, as well as a
serious concern over the safety and welfare of the
members of their families. Their going into self-
exile until conditions favorable to them would have
somehow stabilized is understandable. Certainly,
their sudden departure from the country cannot be
described as "voluntary," or as "abandonment of
residence". Thus there was no change of domicile.
SIAWAN v. INOPIQUEZ (2001)
FACTS:DatuInocencioSiawan filed a complaint
against Judge Aquilino A. Inopiquez, Jr. of the
Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Kananga-Matag-ob,
Leyte, for gross ignorance of the law, gross abuse of
power, and misconduct in connection with the
latter’s handling of a criminal case and two election
cases for inclusion of voters.
In all these elections, the respondent never inhibited
[himself] from hearing inclusion and exclusion
cases except for once wherein his sister-in-law,
Charito Laurente, was the petitioner in an inclusion
proceeding. She ran for Sangguniang Bayan.
HELD:Rules on registration of voters violated
DOCTRINE:Thus, under the law, a petition for
inclusion may be filed only by a person (a) whose
application for registration has been disapproved by
the board of election inspectors or (b) whose name
has been stricken out from the list of voters. No
exception is provided by the law. The petition of
former Judge Ponciano C. Inopiquez does not fall
within the coverage of the law, since he was neither
refused registration by the board nor his name
ordered stricken from the list of voters of Barangay
Talisay, Matag-ob, Leyte. Whether or not
PoncianoInopiquez had good reason for his failure
to register as a voter was irrelevant. Otherwise,
every person who is unable to register for whatever
reason, i.e., he or she was working in another
province or was out of the country during the
registration period, could simply file a petition for
inclusion in order to be able to vote.
MERCADO v. DYSANGCO (2002)
FACTS: ComplainantsDysangco, Acting Presiding
Judge of the 2nd Municipal Circuit Trial Court of
Natividad-Llanera, Nueva Ecija, and. Esteban,
Clerk of Court of the same court, with grave
misconduct for including petitioners in the voter’s
list.
HELD:guilty of gross ignorance of the law
DOCTRINE: Issuance of the controversial Order
sans hearing and beyond the ten-day period
constitutes gross ignorance of the law. His failure to
observe the requirements of the OEC is inexcusable.
As a judge of the MCTC vested with the
jurisdiction to hear and decide petitions for
inclusion or exclusion of voters, he is expected to be
familiar with these legal requirements because it
can be assumed that these election cases were not
the first cases he has decided. Having accepted the
exalted position of a judge, he must have the basic
rules on the palm of his hand. He is expected to
exhibit more than just a cursory acquaintance with
the laws and rules of procedure. The litigants will
have faith in the administration of justice only if
they believe that the occupants of the bench cannot
be accused of deficiency in their grasp of legal
principles.