Comelec invites viral contestant for awareness tour

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has invited a television contestant for a tour on March 4 after she went viral for admitting she was unaware of the poll body in a noontime show.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia stated that the visit aims to educate the contestant, who participated in a beauty pageant segment on "It's Showtime," about the agency’s functions.

Garcia emphasized that many young Filipinos might relate to the contestant's lack of awareness, highlighting the need for stronger voter education initiatives wherein, Comelec sees this as an opportunity also to improve public understanding of the agency's role and responsibilities.

Additionally, Garcia acknowledged that the contestant's reaction made him unhappy since it brought attention to a larger problem with voter awareness and emphasized the need for Comelec to do more to inform Filipinos about the voting process.

To help more young people understand the significance of voting, Comelec is thinking of including the contestant in their voter education campaign.