comelec.gov.ph Voter ID Card FAQs & Answers Philippines : Commission on Elections

Organisation : Philippines COMELEC Commission on Elections
Service/Facility Name : Voter ID Card FAQs & Answers
Country : Philippines
Website : https://comelec.gov.ph/

COMELEC Voter ID Card

Only registrants whose biometrics (i.e. photograph, fingerprints and signature) have been successfully captured digitally using COMELEC’s Voter’s Registration Machine (VRM) during the filing application may be issued a voter’s ID card.

Related : Commission on Elections Philippines Emergency Apps : www.electionin.org/1573.html

The voter ID cannot be printed without the biometrics data. Doing so would defeat the purpose because there will be no way of identifying the person to whom the ID belongs without an image of a face to connect it to.

Therefore, NO BIOMETRICS, NO ID. The voters identification card is being issued to the registered voter pursuant to Section 25 of Republic Act No. 8189. It shall serve as a document for his identification. In case of loss or destruction, no copy thereof may be issued except to the registered voter himself and only upon the authority of the Commission.

The Voter ID card is a valid ID that is recognized by all government offices and banks for a person’s identification purposes. It is, however, not a requirement for a person to vote.

Voter ID FAQs & Answers

What is the voter ID?
The voter ID is a valid ID that is recognized by all government offices and banks for a person’s identification purposes and is being issued to the registered voter pursuant to Section 25 of Resolution No. 8189. It shall serve as a document for his identification.

Who are entitled to have a voter ID?
Only registered voters whose biometrics (i.e. photograph, fingerprints and signature) have been successfully captured digitally using COMELEC’s Voter’s Registration Machine (VRM), or the old Data Capture Machine (DCM), during application may be issued a voter ID card. NO BIOMETRICS, NO ID.

Is a voter ID card a requirement for voting?
No. A voter ID card is not a requirement for a person to vote. However, if questioned by the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) on Election Day, a voter may present his (or her) voter ID or any other valid ID.

Why does ID generation take so long?
The ID generation process includes a fingerprint-matching procedure to filter out voters that have multiple records. This involves matching each new record with the existing 52 million records in the national voter database. Only after that will the generation of the ID take place. The length of the ID generation activity depends mainly on the volume of records received for processing.

I registered more than 4 years ago. Why is my ID not yet printed?
A voter ID cannot be printed if the corresponding registration record has unreadable or poor quality of fingerprint impressions, or has dim, blurred, or improperly cropped photographs. If this is the case, the concerned voter should be notified by the local COMELEC office to appear for recapturing of biometrics data.

It is also possible that your ID may have been inadvertently lost or misplaced during the initial implementation of the Voter ID Project. If this is the case, have your Election Officer submit a request for replacement to the COMELEC main office.

Why is it that, according to the Precinct Finder, my ID has already been printed but my local COMELEC office says that my ID is not yet available?
The precinct finder only indicates the date of ID printing at the COMELEC main office. It is possible that the printed IDs are still lined up for dispatch, especially if the date indicated is recent. This is the reason why we strongly recommend to call the local COMELEC office before going.

Where and when can I claim my voter ID?
Although printed at the main office, voter IDs can only be claimed personally from your local COMELEC Offices during regular office hours. The Election Officer (EO) shall see to it that the rightful owner claims the ID card.

Can I authorize someone to claim my voter ID?
Yes, as long as the voter issues a notarized authorization letter to the person who will claim his ID on his behalf.

Is there a payment for claiming the voter ID?
The voter ID is free-of-charge and is already laminated upon release. No fee should be charged by the local COMELEC office to the voter. Only ID reprints due to loss or damage are charged a minimal fee of PhP 100.00, which should be issued with an official receipt upon payment.

How can I replace my lost or torn voter ID? How much should I pay for the replacement?
A registered voter may personally request with the local COMELEC office for the reprinting of a lost, torn or defaced voter ID. The processing fee is currently placed at PhP100.00. The concerned voter is required to submit an affidavit of loss with his request for replacement.

How can I apply for the correction of entries in my voter ID?
Entries in the voter ID card are from the registration record as encoded by the local COMELEC office. Should there be any need for correction of entries, notify your EO who shall give you further instructions.

I need a voter ID for my passport, but I don’t have a voter ID, what alternative document can I use?
In lieu of the voter ID a person may submit a voter certification which can be obtained from the local COMELEC office or the National Central File Division at the main office in Intramuros, Manila. The processing fee is PhP100.00.

Can I have my photo/signature in my voter ID updated?
The COMELEC only allows updating of photos /signature with applications for correction of entries due to change of civil status and legal change of name, and transfer of registration to another city/municipality.

Can I submit a photo to be used on my voter ID?
No. Applicants for registration are required to submit themselves for live capture of biometrics data using the Voter Registration Machine (VRM). The photograph from this live capture will be the one to be printed on the ID.

Will a Voter ID be released even when a voter’s registration has already been cancelled or deleted?
The IDs of voters whose registration records are already deleted due to multiple registrations, pursuant to Resolution No. 8882, or transfer of registration records due to change of residence to another district/city/municipality, or cancelled by reason of death shall no longer be released.

Will a voter ID be released even when a voter’s registration is already deactivated?
ID cards shall only be issued to voters with active registration status. The ID card of a voter with deactivated status will not be released until such time that he applies for the reactivation of his registration record and the ERB approves his application.

Will a voter ID be released even when there is a pending application for correction of entry?
The ID cards of voters with pending applications for correction of entries in the registration record due to transfer of residence within the same district/city/municipality, or change of name and civil status by reason of marriage or other applicable court orders, shall no longer be issued. The concerned voters shall be issued new voter ID cards with the updated information.

Contact

We have accumulated the most frequently asked questions (FAQs, which may be pronounced as “F. A. Qs” or “facks”, which sounds like “facts”) concerning voter IDs. These are questions which have been asked of us over the years over the phone or by e-mail. We have listed them here in order to provide our web visitors with ready answers.

These are general answers to the listed questions. For more specific queries on the voter ID, please send an e-mail to voters_id@comelec.gov.ph.