ILOILO City — Around 200 would-be voters in this city failed to register on the final day of voter registration after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) imposed a cut-off amid an overwhelming influx of applicants, effectively leaving them unable to vote in the Nov. 2, 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Comelec-Iloilo City said the registration center was swamped with applicants on Monday, May 18, forcing election personnel to stop accepting additional registrants by around 1:30 p.m. after already distributing forms to about 1,600 individuals.
Of the 1,600 applications received, 1,523 were successfully processed as some applicants reportedly gave up waiting due to the long queues. Processing of applications lasted until around 8 p.m. that night.
Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of Comelec-Iloilo City, said their office could no longer accommodate additional registrants because the personnel would not be able to complete all applications within the day.
Sayno stressed that Comelec had repeatedly reminded the public not to wait for the final day of registration since the voter registration period had already started on Oct. 20, 2025.
He noted that registration was open from Monday to Saturday, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., giving the public what he described as ample time to register.
Comelec also conducted satellite registrations in 73 venues across Iloilo City, including barangay halls, covered gyms, malls, and other public places, to bring registration services closer to residents.
According to Sayno, the 1,600 applications received on the last day marked the highest single-day turnout since voter registration resumed in October 2025. On ordinary days, the office processed an average of only 800 applications daily.
“Saku kuno sa ila trabaho, may mga klasi pero ti seven months naman ang amon nga registration since October 20, 2025,” Sayno said.
All processed applications will undergo an Election and Registration Board (ERB) hearing on June 1, 2026./PN
