Mandaue City election officials noted a recurring pattern of last-day congestion in voter registration, as the local Commission on Elections office recorded a sharp spike in applicants as the deadline closed.
In an interview on May 18, 2026, Mandaue Election Officer Atty. Anna Fleur Gujilde said turnout remained relatively low in the days leading up to the deadline but surged significantly on the final day.
“Among observation kay ganahan gyud ang mga tao mu rehistro sa last day,” Gujilde said.
She added that the office initially expected steady processing throughout the registration period but still saw a concentration of applicants arriving at the last possible day.
“Abi namo og nahurot na namo og rehistro tanan, pero turned out nga ganahan gyud diay sila mutunga sa last day,” she said.
Data from the local Comelec office showed that around 500 individuals were processed as of morning on May 18, exceeding the 461 registrants recorded on May 16 and the 305 applicants on May 15.
From October 2025 until the May 18 deadline, Mandaue City recorded an estimated 10,000 new registrants.
Most were first-time voters, although officials noted that not all were necessarily young residents, as some were older individuals registering for the first time.
The office also recorded a significant number of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) registrants during the period.
Gujilde said around 2,800 applicants were processed in April, while May figures reached an estimated 3,500.
She added that no extension of the registration period has been announced, noting that the schedule had already provided sufficient time for applicants.
“Taas-taas naman pod siguro ang higayon nga atong gihatag,” she said.
The voter registration period ran from October 2025 to May 18, with operations open from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays. Mandaue City currently has about 239,000 registered voters. (VCL)
Photo by Jacq Hernandez, PBB Photojournalist
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