With less than four months before the deadline, a Church-based poll watchdog encouraged the dioceses to help encourage voter registration for next year’s elections.

Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting executive director Maria Isabel Buenaobra said the PPCRV will formally ask the dioceses to help raise awareness on the importance of voting.

“We are collaborating with dioceses for this campaign to encourage everyone, from the youth, those deactivated, and even OFWs, to get registered and reactivated,” Buenaobra told Radio Veritas.

Voting in the May 2022 presidential elections, she said, is important because it gives people a voice about who they want in office and it is an opportunity for change.

“Let us get registered because the May 2022 polls is a high-stakes election. We need to use our rights to vote,” Buenaobra said.

Comelec data showed about 3.7 million applicants for voter registration filed since January 2020.

Officials estimate that there will be some 4 million new applicants or those that just turned 18, who will get registered.

The poll body is also looking at some 1.5 million applications being filed for other types of transactions including transfer from other municipality, transfer within the same municipality, transfer with reactivation, and correction of entries.

The Comelec has earlier said it is unlikely to extend the nationwide registration period beyond the September 30, 2021 deadline as they prepare for the May 9 polls.