DUMAGUETE CITY — The voter’s identification card is still a valid ID card for government and other transactions despite the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) stoppage of its printing.
Lawyer Gildu Agoncillo, election officer of Dumaguete City, the capital of Negros Oriental, made this assurance Thursday afternoon, as the Comelec is about to start the resumption of its registration of voters from July 2 up to Sept. 29, this year.
The clarification came to answer queries from the public whether those who have not yet received a voter’s ID card, including new registrants, will still be able to acquire one.
While it is not a requirement for a person to present his voter’s ID to be able to vote, it is a valid identification card used/accepted in various transactions in both government and private offices and entities, such as banks.
According to Agoncillo, the Comelec announced last year that it had stopped printing new voter’s ID cards because of the proposed national ID system.
“Until further notice, we will no longer be issuing new voter’s ID cards,” Agoncillo said.
For those who already have it, the voter’s ID card is still valid, he added.
Agoncillo also disclosed that there are still hundreds, if not thousands of voter’s ID cards that remain unclaimed at their office, especially for those who registered from 2012 onward.
He urged the owners of these ID cards to claim them from his office.
Meanwhile, the Comelec here is gearing up for the resumption of registration of voters and related activities on July 2.
“This is a comprehensive (activity) to include registration of new voters, updating of entries, transfer, re-activation, biometrics, change of status and others,” Agoncillo said.
The voters’ registration is from Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Agoncillo disclosed that his office is also preparing to establish satellite registration in the barangays although they are still finalizing the dates. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
