A record 65.72 million Filipinos registered for the 2022 elections. Here are the vote-rich cities, provinces, and regions
Around 3.87 million Filipinos would be casting their votes for the first time in the May polls, based on new records from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Feb. 10.
Comelec's Election Records and Statistics Department data showed that there are some 65.72 million registered voters this year, from 61.84 million in 2019.
The poll body has described the increase in number of voters as "historic."
It, however, remains to be seen what would be the voter turnout three months due to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 75.9% of 61.84 million Filipino voters exercised their right to suffrage in 2019.
The 2022 national elections will be held on May 9. Overseas Filipinos, meanwhile, may cast their votes starting April 10.
Last Dec. 29, 2021, Comelec held mock elections in 34 voting centers across Metro Manila, as well as in Isabela, Albay, Negros Oriental, Davao Del Sur, Leyte, and Maguindanao.
During the event, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez noted that Filipinos aren't really excited during the election proper, "historically speaking."
Still, Jimenez said they're expecting an 80% voter turnout nationwide come election day.
"One of the things we have to expect is that it’s not 100% turnout in voting centers," he said.
Quezon City, most vote-rich city
Quezon City has the most number of registered voters in the country, at 1.4 million.
Manila City followed, with 1.11 million registered voters.
There are less than a million eligible voters in other cities elsewhere.
Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, has 992,538 voters.
Other vote-rich cities include:
- Cebu City (713,074)
- Caloocan (700,279)
- Antipolo (471,250)
- Makati (458,362)
- Pasig (457,370)
- Taguig (449,359)
- Zamboanga City (445,240)
Cebu, most vote-rich province
Cebu is the most vote-rich province, with 3.25 million registered voters. It's also the only province in the country that has over three million voters.
Cavite has 2.3 million voters. Pangasinan comes next with 2.08 million, followed by Laguna and Bulacan with 2.04 million and 2 million, respectively.
Rounding out the Top 10 are:
- Negros Occidental (1.94 million)
- Batangas (1.81 million)
- Iloilo (1.62 million)
- Rizal (1.6 million)
- Pampanga (1.58 million)
Calabarzon, most vote-rich region
In terms of regions, the bulk of registered voters are in Calabarzon, at 9.91 million.
The capital Metro Manila, meanwhile, has 7.3 million voters.
Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas have 7.28 million, 5.20 million, and 5.02 million, respectively.
The rest of the regions in the country didn't surpass four million registered voters, like:
- Bicol (3.91 million)
- Davao (3.23 million)
- Eastern Visayas (3.16 million)
- Northern Mindanao (3.05 million)
- Zamboanga Peninsula (2.29 million)