The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday reported an increase in the number of applications for voter registration during the second week of the initial implementation of the Register Anywhere Project (RAP) in different malls in Metro Manila and two provinces.
Based on the poll body’s data, a total of 1,129 applicants signed up in RAP booths in eight malls between Jan. 7 and 8.
This is nearly double as compared to the 611 applicants that filed during the first leg of the RAP from Dec. 17 to 18, 2022.
SM Fairview in Quezon City recorded the highest number of applications with 381, followed by Robinsons Place Manila with 269; Robinsons Galleria, also in Quezon City with 169; and SM Sucat in Parañaque City with 149.
Other RAP booths that recorded an increase were SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City with 57; Robinsons Tacloban, Leyte with 41; SM City Legazpi, Albay with 36; and Robinsons Naga, Camarines Sur with 27.
The improved data coincided with the decision of the Comelec en banc to expand the RAP’s coverage.
Under the additional coverage, RAP booths will also accept applications for the transfer of overseas voters back to the Philippines (Post to Local); of residents of the city/district, where the RAP sites are located; and of senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs), who are new registrants or will update their records.
Originally, the project only accepts and processes applications for new registration; and transfer of registration records from another city/municipality/district.
The RAP booths will be accepting such registrations on Jan. 14 to 15 and Jan. 21 to 22, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.