How do I register to vote in the Philippines?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Voter registration is handled by the COMELEC under RA 8189 (Voter's Registration Act of 1996), which uses a CONTINUING registration system — you register in person at the Office of the Election Officer in your city or municipality (some periods also offer satellite registration). Biometrics — photo, fingerprints, and signature — are mandatory under RA 10367, and a voter without valid biometrics can be deactivated. By law, NO registration is conducted during the 120 days before a regular election (90 days before a special election), so register outside that blackout window. Registration is free.
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Frequently asked
When can I register?
During COMELEC's continuing registration period. By RA 8189 §8, no registration is done in the 120 days before a regular election (90 days before a special election), so COMELEC suspends registration inside that window and resumes it afterward. Watch COMELEC announcements for the exact dates.
Are biometrics required?
Yes. RA 10367 makes biometrics (photo, fingerprints, signature) mandatory; a registrant without valid biometrics can be deactivated. This is why registration is done in person.
Is there a fee to register?
No. Voter registration with COMELEC is free. Anyone charging you to register or to 'guarantee' your inclusion in the voters' list is a fixer.
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How to get and fix your government papers without a fixer — a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate and a CENOMAR (order via PSA Serbilis / PSAHelpline), correcting a misspelled name or wrong first name administratively under RA 9048 and a wrong day/month of birth or sex under RA 10172 (no court needed; the birth YEAR still needs a Rule 108 court petition), late registration of an unregistered birth, the PhilSys national ID and its acceptance as valid proof of identity under RA 11055, applying for or renewing a passport at the DFA and its 10-year adult validity under RA 10928 (amending RA 8239), what to do when you lose your passport, getting an NBI clearance and resolving a 'hit', police and barangay clearances, registering to vote and transferring or reactivating your registration with COMELEC (RA 8189, mandatory biometrics under RA 10367), the cedula / Community Tax Certificate under the Local Government Code (RA 7160), and your anti-red-tape rights against fixers and undue extra requirements under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act) and RA 9485.