by VG Villanueva

Kalibo, Aklan (17 October) -- The provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here is now preparing for the conduct of the May 2007 elections.

One of Comelec Aklan's activities in preparation for this is its on-going and continuous registration of voters, which, according to Lorena Tumbagahan, Comelec Kalibo Head and concurrently the Officer-in-Charge of Provincial Comelec Office, would end on Dec. 31, 2006.

Tumbagahan revealed this information at a press conference with the local media here as she emphasized that "the media is considered as partners of Comelec as far as election activities are concerned."

Tumbagahan appealed for the help of the local media in disseminating the information on the termination of voters' registration on December 31 as she revealed that the province has only one data capturing machine and the Comelec office might be deluged with last-minute registrants on the last day.

"We can only accommodate a limited number of registrants in a day and the applicants are to be subjected to demographic and biorhythmic capturing process which is different and time-consuming unlike the old procedure. We also call on our young people, those who are now 18 years old including those who would be turning 18 in time for the May 14, 2007 elections to also register at Comelec now," Tumbagahan said.

"We encourage our young people to register now so they would be able to exercise their constitutional right to help the government by voting and selecting the right candidates to govern our country," she said.

In the press conference, Tumbagahan distributed copies of Resolution No. 7707 which contains the Calendar of Activities and periods of prohibited acts in connection with the May 14, 2007 synchronized national and local elections.