Impact Hub Manila (IHM), in partnership with the Philippines’ Commission on Elections (COMELEC), upgraded its voter education site Vote Pilipinas to include a Voter Registration Service Test. The new feature provides additional information users need to know to register and encourage them to vote. 

VOTE PILIPINAS is the official Voter Registration Information campaign partner of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) that showcases easily-digestible information on the registration process, voting precincts, requirements, and important dates to remember.

The innovative Voter Registration Service Test gives users additional information such as (1) the nearest Office of the Election Officer office to contact, (2) a list of IDs to bring, (3) forms to download, and (4) other important reminders to reduce the time spent at COMELEC headquarters during on-ground registration.

“We are thrilled for Filipino people to utilize and take advantage of Vote Pilipinas. This is a crucial step to educate voters and bring more people in to exercise their right to suffrage,” says James Jimenez, COMELEC spokesperson.

Started in August, the campaign aims to increase the number of voter registration and election turnout in time for the next national elections. 

“One of the campaign’s goals is to provide every Filipino with access to the right information so they can register and ultimately vote. We hope that through the Vote Pilipinas campaign, we can shift mindsets and make people realize that every vote counts,” says Ces Rondario, Impact Hub Manila’s co-founder and the brainchild of Vote Pilipinas.

Data from the COMELEC show that in 2019, only 75.9% of registered voters turned up to cast their votes, or about 1 in every four registered voters did not participate in voting. Come 2022, more young people will be eligible to vote. Through Vote Pilipinas, IHM aims to encourage 7 million more Filipinos to register.

Impactful partnership sealed

Last December 4, 2020, COMELEC and Impact Hub Manila signed the Memorandum of Understanding to cement the partnership and jointly push for registrations. 

L-R Diego Jose Ramos, Andrew Orlan Bercasio, Ces Rondario, Director James Jimenez, Lawrz Libo-on, and Ino Habana

Impact Hub Manila and the COMELEC believe in the importance of suffrage to make impactful change, especially for youth. More young people are eligible to vote in the coming national elections.

Impact Hub Manila is part of its global network recognized by the United Nations (UN) in Geneva as a key driver in engaging communities for the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN. They designed the Vote Pilipinas campaign to ensure that the Philippines has strong institutions promoting peace and justice, which form the SDG 16. 

The act of voting to select government leaders is a right afforded to every Filipino once they turn 18 years old. With every vote, citizens can participate in governance and in ensuring a just society.

Learn more about Vote Pilipinas through its official Facebook and Instagram pages, or visit https://www.votepilipinas.com

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