MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will reopen voter registration nationwide on November 10, with the registration period running until July 30, 2027, to prepare for the 2028 national and local elections.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia announced the schedule, urging unregistered Filipinos and voters who need to update their records to complete the process early.

“Huwag na po natin hihintayin ‘yung mga matatapos na naman [‘yung registration]. Pwede na po kaagad tayo magsimula [mag-register],” Garcia told reporters on the sidelines of the Asian Electoral Stakeholders Forum (AESF) relaunch.

Aside from registering for the first time, voters may apply to reactivate or transfer their registration, revive their records, or correct and update information.

The poll body will also continue implementing its Register Anytime/Anywhere Program, which allows eligible Filipinos to register at selected locations beyond regular registration sites.

“Meron din po tayong registration anytime sa ilang airports, sa ilang piling ospital, sa mga data centers natin, at doon sa mga lugar kung saan hindi nakakapagparehistro ‘yung mga kababayan natin dahil nagtatrabaho sila,” Garcia said.

Comelec earlier projected that around 74 million Filipinos would be eligible to vote in the May 2028 national and local elections.

The commission also expects an additional one million eligible voters for the November 2028 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

PHILIPPINES TO HOST AESF

Meanwhile, the Philippines will host the seventh AESF in February 2027, following the postponement of the event originally scheduled for April this year.

The Comelec and the Asian Network for Free Elections relaunched their co-hosting of the forum on Wednesday in Makati.

The event was moved to February 2027 after the government declared a national energy crisis.

Garcia said the forum is expected to draw around 300 to 400 delegates.