Listing shutout

UNLESS they are patient, thousands of voters in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu may not be registered by the Oct. 31 deadline, officials said.

Low-capacity data-capturing machines allow Commission on Elections (Comelec) personnel to accommodate only a limited number of applicants, most of whom are too impatient if asked to return the next day.

In Mandaue City, Atty. Anna Fleur Gujilde, the election officer, estimated that as many as 3,000 may not be accommodated after the deadline at the current pace. In Lapu-Lapu City, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde said the office can only accommodate 600 of some 1,200 who report to their office daily.

Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano declined to estimate how many applicants may end up not being registered in time for the May 2010 elections.

He said the registration figures can only be finalized once the lists are approved by the election registration board. This will take place from Nov. 16 to 20. Comelec will also release its quarterly progress report by that time.

Expecting a thick crowd of last-minute registrants until Saturday, Cebu City poll offices are planning registration procedures on the last day to make sure that all those who go will be accommodated.

The Comelec provincial office addressed the city poll offices’ problem on the shortage of registration forms by diverting the supply intended for Tudela town to Cebu City.

Lawyer Marchel Sarno, election officer for the north district, said some of the municipal election offices have not requested for additional forms yet, that is why they were able to use the forms intended for Tudela.

Despite the lack of forms, election offices in the city continued to be flooded by last-minute registrants up to 9 p.m. The past nights, some have been turned away and asked to return the next day.

To avoid any conflict with registrants on Saturday, the last day of registration, Sarno said he and his staff agreed to distribute forms to everyone who will be in line but can no longer be accommodated for registration.

They will be asked to write their names in a logbook and will be allowed to complete the registration process the following day.

Sarno said he will ask Castillano for additional guidelines on how they should go about the registration on the last day, to make sure that everyone will be able to list up.

As of yesterday, there was no advice from the Comelec Manila office on a possible extension of the registration period.

“Usually on the last day, iya-iya na man lang ug diskarte mga election officers (are left to their own devices) on how they will go about the registration and on how they will accommodate everyone, so this time mangayo tag clarification on what to do,” Sarno added.

In Mandaue’s case, some 12,000 to 15,000 additional voters are expected to register. However, the Comelec office can only process 700 applicants per day.

Former vice mayor Amadeo Seno Jr. recalled that during his time, a five percent increase was expected with every election. He said it was likely the registrants were bused in from the different barangays.

There is nothing wrong with the practice, as long as applicants follow the regular process of registration, the election officer said.

The local Comelec office expects an increase of 15,000 voters after the deadline. So far this month, the office already registered 8,400.

Since Oct. 26, Atty. Gujilde of the Mandaue office said, she expected 1,000 applicants daily but only 700 were entertained.

Most of the 300 are asked to return the next day to register, transfer or reactivate their status as voters, since there is no more time.

The city has three data-capturing machines and 20 personnel.

A Comelec worker who requested not to be named revealed that a data-capturing machine can only process 150 individuals a day and not more, as it might overheat.

Most applicants lose interest in registering after seeing the long line of applicants, the worker added.

In the May 2007 election, Mandaue had 144,061 voters; this went up to 154,468 voters five months later, during the barangay election.

As of September 2009, the figure had increased by about 20,000, at 174,458 registered voters.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde said he expected an increase of 20,000 voters from their May 2007 figure, which stood at 141,000.