I'm so sorry that I felt the need to blog about this. I am just pissed with the very "bulok" system of the voters' registration at Comelec.
So I arrived at Marikina Comelec at exactly 6am and there was already a very long line ahead of me. This was on the 30th of October, the 2nd to the last day of registration. By 8am, the registration started. Someone was on the mic orienting the people about the process. It took about 30 mins., and I think they should have done that even before 8am!
STEP 1: Get your application form. So we were given numbers. My number was 303. Hello, even the line wasn't that organized at all. There were two men giving out forms after checking our requirements. Those aged 17-20 were immediately given forms. But in my case, after submitting my requirements at 10am, I had to wait for my form after verification of my identity. What I submitted was a photocopy of my driver's license. Then it's also a requirement to write the ff. details on the same paper: Full Name, New/Transferee (w/ new address), Age, Birthday, Status, and Signature.
STEP 2: Verification. So they screened my requirements carefully and it took about 2 hrs for them to do that. I had to stand at the waiting are for 1 1/2 hrs, and sit on a table for 30mins (thanks to the old men who offered me a seat). My name got called a few minutes before 12nn so I immediately accomplished the form.
STEP 3: Submission of Application Form. Imagine, I had to line up all over again just to submit my accomplished form. So what I did was I went in line even if I haven't written anything in my form yet. then I asked the woman ahead of me to save that spot for me while I accomplish my forms. So I went to a table near a huge sample form so I won't miss any detail because I've heard that once you miss any detail, you will have to fall in line again. yay! I was able to submit my form a few minutes after 12nn then I was told to come back by 6-9pm. The person-in-charge said that I must go straight to Biometrics (Step 5) when I come back. Wow, sounded good to me 'coz it woudl make me skip Step 4. haha!
STEP 4: Assigning of Precinct. Since I was asked to come back by 6-9pm for Biometrics, I didn't undergo this step anymore. I think they were the ones who automatically worked on this. I think, most of those required to undergo this step were the transferees.
Since I got a minimum of 6 hours of waiting time before the Biometrics stage, I went home for lunch and for some rest. But then I decided to watch a movie instead with a friend in Gateway. We're supposed to meet at 3pm but due to heavy traffic (caused by cemeteries along the way), I arrived at Gateway at 4:30pm. I bought tickets while my friend was stucked in the middle of EDSA traffic. The movie started at 4:50 but my friend came a few minutes past 5. She actually didn't miss a lot in the movie. Oh yeah, we actually watched "500 days of Summer" haha! It was done by 6:30pm so we had some dinner until 7:15.
Then we went back to Comelec. We took the LRT up to Katipunan, but there were no rides available going to Marikina because of the heavy rain. We took an alternate route and at last, we arrived at Comelec by 8pm.
STEP 5: Biometrics. I mean, STEP 4 1/2: Line up to get your form back (NOT A REAL PART OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS, JUST A STUPID PRACTICE!). There were still a lot of people there! And when I told the person-in-charge there that I was aksed to come back between 6-9pm for my Biometrics, he told me to line up. What the F? And this line was actually for those who needed to get their forms back so they could line up to Step 5. Okay, what was my stand on this? THIS WAS THE WORST PART OF THE DAY EVER!!!!
1. A lot of people have taken over my spot already! They were the ones who came later than I did in the morning, yet they finished ahead of me 'coz they stayed there the whole afternoon. Well i wasn't that sure if they were also instructed to just come back at 6-9pm. But hello, I just followed instructions!
2. So I lined up in that line leading to a table where all pending application forms were situated. I know I already missed a couple of times that my name was called because I wasn't there so they just set my form aside. BUT THE LINE WAS SO LONG AND IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! I think it would be better if they would just call out loud each and every name whose form was there to avoid making long lines. Imagine I lined up then when it was already my turn, they searched for my form among the piles of forms with them. Didn't they know how long that kind of process would take for each and every person in line? When instead, they can call us through the mic. Well, they actually have thought about that right after I got my form. Maybe, it was I who influenced them to do that. I was so pissed!
STEP 5: Biometrics (THIS IS IT!). So there, I was in line by 9pm. It was a very long line....a very disorganized line, which only got organized after an hour when an old man took in charge. My friend left me 'coz she had to go somewhere else. I was there all alone, listening to my Ipod. But to avoid boredom, I took out my makeup kit and fixed myself in preparation for a fun Friday night out. haha! Well, the line moved a bit faster than earlier. Maybe those in charge of the Biometrics were all excited to go home already haha! At 11pm, it was already my turn: signature, thumb marks, and picture. Well, I wasn't that pretty in my picture but never mind, I was in a hurry to go for a fun night. haha! Then I was given an acknowledgment receipt with my registration number on it. Imagine how long it took me to get that piece of paper! Yikes!
Finally...I am now officially a registered voter of the Republic of the Philippines! I won't ever forget this experience. 6am to 11pm is no joke, hello?!? Gosh, the steps we take just to be responsible citizens of this country. hahaha!=))
