The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is widening its reach, rolling out a plan to bring voter registration and other election services straight into the countryโs busiest hubs: shopping malls. Chairperson George Garcia said the commission is eyeing at least 100 mall partners ahead of the 2028 polls โ nearly double the number used during the 2025 elections. The move is designed to make voter registration more accessible, convenient, and less intimidating for the public.
Garcia said mall-based registration has consistently proven effective, especially for students, workers, and families who normally struggle to visit local Comelec offices due to long lines or limited operating hours. By placing booths inside malls, the agency hopes to give Filipinos easier ways to register, update their records, transfer precincts, or simply check their status โ without sacrificing an entire day to bureaucracy. โThis is about flexibility and bringing the democratic process closer to the people,โ Garcia emphasized.
The Comelec sealed fresh agreements this week with the countryโs biggest mall operators โ SM, Robinsons, WalterMart, Filinvest, and Megaworld โ expanding both the Mall Voting initiative and the Register Anywhere Program (RAP). Under RAP, even voters outside their home province can register or update their records from wherever they are, a breakthrough for migrants, students, and workers who relocate for jobs. Garcia praised private sector partners, saying their support cannot be measured โin terms of costโ because what they provide is civic access, not just real estate.
In the 2025 elections, 53 malls participated in the mall voting pilot. With the new expansion, Comelec hopes to nearly double that figure โ allowing millions more Filipinos to take part in the next national and local polls. For voters juggling work, school, and family responsibilities, the message from Comelec is clear: your corner just got a lot closer to the ballot box.
Image from COMELEC FB