FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. This is my first time to register. What are the requirements? Where do I register? What do I need to bring with me when I go there?

First, you must a citizen of the Philippines, at least 18 years old, a resident of the Philippines for at least one (1) year, and in the place wherein you propose to vote, for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the election.

For this ARMM general registration, you can register at the Office of the Election Officer or at any established Registration Center in the city or municipality where you reside. You need to personally appear before the said office or at the registration center to file your application and for biometrics data capturing.

You should bring any valid ID. If you do not have any valid ID, you may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct, or by any of your relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity. three (3) times. No registered voter or relative shall be allowed to identify applicants more than

2. I am only 17 years old but I will turn 18 before May 2013. Can I register?

Yes. Any person, who, on the day of registration may not have reached the required age or period of residence but, who, on the day of the election shall possess such qualifications, may register as a voter.

3. I am previously registered in another city/municipality but I transferred my residence here and I wish to vote here come 2013 election. What should I do so I can vote here?

If your previous registration was made in a city/municipality within the ARMM, then such registration is already deemed cancelled pursuant to Joint Resolution no. 17 of the House of representative and the Senate of the Philippines. This means you are required to register anew.

But if your previous registration was made in a city/municipality outside ARMM, then you still have a standing registration. What you must do is to apply with the Election Officer of your new residence for the transfer of your registration records.

The application for transfer of registration shall be subject to the requirements of notice and hearing and the approval of the Election Registration Board. Upon approval of the application for transfer, and after notice of such approval to the Election Officer of the former residence of the voter, said Election Officer shall transmit by registered mail the voters registration record to the Election Officer of the voters new residence.

4. I am illiterate/a person with disability (blind, deaf, mute, etc). Can I vote on the 2013 elections? Can I register? How? COMELEC Resolution No. 9149, Sec. 9. Any illiterate or person with disability shall be assisted by the EO in the preparation of his application form, or by any member of an accredited Citizens arm, or a relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or if he has none present, by any person of his confidence who belongs to the same household.

In no case shall an assistor assist more than three (3) times except the EO. All assistors must be of voting age.

The EO shall place the illiterate or person with disability under oath, after which the assistor shall ask the illiterate or person with disability relevant questions and record the answers given in order to accomplish properly the application form.

Once the application form is accomplished, it shall be given to the EO who shall read the accomplished form aloud to the illiterate or person with disability and ask him if the information given are true and correct.

The applicant shall, in the presence of the EO, affix his thumbmark or some other customary mark on the duly accomplished form.

The

Assistor

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COMELEC Resolution No. 9220. PWDs needing assistance have to indicate in the APPROPRIATE BOX the TYPE OF IMPAIRMENT and the FORM OF ASSISTANCE needed during the election. The following CODES shall be followed: CODE 1 2 3 4 5 TYPE OF DISABILITY PHYSICAL HEARING SPEECH VISUAL NON-MANIFEST (e.g. Autism, ADHD) EXAMPLE: If the person has SPEECH IMPAIRMENT (3), and is in need of COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE (B), put 3B on the box referring to DISABLED / DIFFERENTLY ABLED persons. 5. I belong to the indigenous community. I do not know how to write and I dont have any identification card. Am I allowed to vote on the 2013 elections? Can I register? How? CODE A B C D FORM OF ASSISTANCE ASSISTOR COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE ACCESSIBLE PRECINT VISUAL ASSISTANCE

Yes, you are allowed to vote and you can register. You need to appear personally before the Election Officer (EO), state your name and exact address, specifying your house number, name of the street, area, district, purok or sitio, and barangay where you reside, or a brief description of your residence. You also need to present a valid ID. If you do not have a valid ID, you may be identified under oath before the election officer using the affidavit of identification by any registered voter of the precinct, or any of his relative within the 4th civil degree by consanguinity or affinity. No registered voter or relative shall be allowed to identify applicants more than three (3) times. The form shall be, as far as practicable, translated into the local languages and/or dialects commonly used in the area.

If you cannot accomplish the registration form on your own, you can be assisted in the same manner as illiterates and PWDS are assisted. (See instructions above.)

6. I have registered a long time ago. The last time I voted was in 2004. Do I need to renew my registration so I can vote on the 2013 elections?

Yes, you need to register again because the book of voters of the municipalities and cities in the ARMM have been annulled pursuant to Congressional Joint Resolution No. 17 promulgated last May 2012, which means that your previous registration is no longer standing. Therefore, in order for you to vote on the 2013 elections, you need to register anew.

7. I wish to register for my brother. He intends to vote here come 2013 election but he cannot make it this week to register for himself because he works in Manila. Can I register in his stead?

No. The registrant must personally appear before the election officer to file his application and for biometrics data capturing (picture, fingerprint and signature). Registration in substitution for another is not allowed and is actually considered an election offense which is punishable by law.

8. I saw a group of indigenous peoples being unloaded from a truck. They were gathered in one polling place and are, as of the moment, registering. Is that considered an election offense?

If the IPs were being threatened, intimidated, terrorized, or otherwise being coerced directly or indirectly so that they are compelled or induced to register, then there is an election offense being committed. Report such fact to the election officer.

9. I have already accomplished my application form but the Voter Registration Machine in our registration center was defective. Does this mean that I can no longer register? What should I do? For this ARMM general registration, in case of VRM malfunction, registration shall be suspended until such time the same is repaired or replaced. Corresponding report must be relayed by fastest means to the EO/Monitoring Teams for the technical support to repair it or possibly replace it.

(But under normal instances, this is what Resolution No. 0149, Sec. and/or its Peripherals:

provides.) Procedure in case of Defective Voter Registration Machine (VRM)

a. In case the VRM and/or its peripherals become defective during the registration period, the accomplished application forms shall be accepted with the condition that the applicants shall return for the taking/capturing of their BIOMETRICS. captured. For this purpose, the applicant shall be given until the last registration day for the quarter in which he applied, to have his BIOMETRICS

b. In this case, the EO through the PES/RED (for NCR) upon certification by the CVL technician shall inform immediately the Information Technology Department (ITD) and Election and Barangay Affairs Department (EBAD) that the VRM and/or its peripherals are defective for immediate repair/replacement.

c. The EO shall immediately notify in writing the concerned applicants once the VRM is functional for the taking/capturing of their BIOMETRICS data. If the applicant fails to return despite notice in writing, his application shall be considered incomplete and deemed not filed, hence, shall not be submitted for appropriate action by the ERB. The EO shall print and post the list of applicants who failed to return for BIOMETRICS data capturing in the city/municipality bulletin boards and EOs Office. 10.My application for registration is being challenged by a certain

voter/candidate/representative of a political party. What should I do? What will happen to my application for registration?

The challenge must state the ground therefor. It shall be under oath and be attached to the application, together with the proof of notice of hearing to the challenger and the applicant. Your application for registration will still proceed but it will be subject to the outcome of the hearing.