A WEB

In the Philippines, commercial malls function like community centers where people gather not just to shop but also to attend Catholic mass, workout in Zumba sessions and celebrate special occasions, among other activities.

By taking advantage of the Filipinos’ love for malls, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Philippines launched the pilot period of the Register Anywhere Project (RAP) on 17 December 2022.​

[One of the Register-Anywhere-Project (RAP) sites inside a mall, located along a high foot traffic area outside a department store]

This project offers an alternative way for citizens who are qualified to vote to submit their registration application conveniently at the RAP booths in COMELEC-partner malls, which are located in population-dense urban centers, regardless of their place of residence. Previously, only local residents were allowed to register at mall registration sites. By adjusting its internal processes to be more voter-centric, the Philippine COMELEC aims to increase access to all citizens, particularly members of the vulnerable sectors, students who moved out of their hometowns to attend universities or colleges in city centers, and workers from rural areas who had to move to urban centers for employment.

[COMELEC personnel providing assistance to an elderly citizen to fill out his application form]​

Should the pilot program prove to be a success, COMELEC intends to expand the project to include more partner-malls and other government agency offices. The pilot period for the RAP will run until 23 January 2023, every Saturday and Sunday.

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