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Because typhoon Santi has caused power interruption in some parts of Metro Manila and Southern Luzon, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is making some leeway on its strict adherence to a ‘no extension’ of voters’ registration.

The Comelec yesterday said it will allow registrants in its offices who were affected by the power outage brought by the typhoon to come back on Tuesday for their biometrics to be taken. Comelec Chairman Jose Melo stressed, however, that this is strictly for registrants who were able to submit their registration forms to election personnel yesterday, the deadline for the registration.

To complete their registration, after filling out and submitting the forms, the registrants must undergo a system where their photograph, signatures and fingerprints are to be taken by the Comelec’s data capturing machines. Unfortunately, because of the power interruption yesterday, many prospective voters were not able to finish their registration.

There have clamors for the poll body to extend the registration of voters. These requests were coming from lawmakers and the general public, citing the long queues in Comelec offices as the reason. However, the agency repeatedly turned down all requests for extension.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento clarified that the activity on Tuesday should not be seen an extension of the registration which ended on Saturday midnight, October 31. “We are doing this in consideration of those affected by the power interruption. We understand the situation but this is not considered an extension of registration,” he said.

In reference to the Comelec’s decision not to extend the deadline for registration, Sarmiento said, “We have given them enough time to register. I think this should be a lesson to people to who prefer to do things at the last minute or when it’s near deadline.” The poll body believes that voters were given enough time to register since registration period on December 28, 2008.