Mañana habit leads to long queues of voter registrants

No thanks to their "manaña habit," many Filipinos formed long lines on the last day of the extended voters' registration for the 2010 elections. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Tuesday that the lines began to grow outside the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila before noon. Earlier, Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer reminded registrants not to succumb to mañana habit, and that they should not “abuse" the extension that was granted by the high court. “They should get rid of the mañana habit. Ganyan tayo. Nagdadagsaan sa last day. (We’re like that. We flock to registration centers on the last day)," he told reporters on the third day of the extended registration. [See: Get rid of mañana habit, Comelec tells voters] In contrast, few showed up at registration centers in the first four days of the extended registration on December 21, 22, 23, and 28. On December 21, no long queues were seen in front of registration windows at the Comelec office along Arroceros Street. A registrant from Manila’s 6th District said that registration process only took her about 20 minutes. “Walang gaanong pila. Mabilis ang proseso at maayos ang pakikipag-usap ng mga nag-a-assist. Siguro umabot lang ng 20 minutes, tapos na ako (There were no long queues of registrants. The process was smooth and those who assisted us had time to entertain our questions. In about 20 minutes my registration was done)," said Almira dela Cruz of Manila’s Barangay 882 in an interview with GMANews.TV A dzBB report on Tuesday cited a Comelec statement as saying that the poll body would only accommodate registrants until 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Comelec expects some two million new voters to register during the extended registration. Voter list-up originally ran from December 2008 to October 31, 2009, but the Comelec allowed an extended registration on December 21, 22, 23, 28, and 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Priority was given to first-time registrants over those who want to reactivate or transfer their registrations during the extended registration period. - LBG, GMANews.TV