Barring unforeseen events, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) hopes to attain its target of more than 3,000,000 new voters for the May 10, 2010 elections on or before November 30, 2009, the deadline for the filing of petitions for inclusion in the local list of voters.

The Comelec, led by Chairman Jose A.R. Melo, said that as of Thursday, a total of 2,653,594 new voters have already registered for next year’s major political exercise.

“We wish to inform the public that as of June 30, 2009, we have registered more than 2.6 million new voters nationwide,” said Comelec information and education Director James Jimenez.

Jimenez rectified the report attributed to Senator Francisco Escudero that the Comelec was able to register only 841,200 new voters for next year’s polls.

Jimenez said Comelec expects new registrants to come in droves since most Filipinos prefer to register during the 11th hour.

He attributed the rising registration turnout to the active participation of media organizations and citizens’ groups in encouraging the youth to register coupled with the Comelec’s intensified campaign to promote voter registration.

Also on Thursday, the Comelec listened intently and objectively to the impassioned plea of one political party and nine sectoral organizations to be registered and accredited for the May 10, 2010 presidential, congressional, local, and party-list polls so they could be of service to the Filipino people like the rest of Philippine officialdom if empowered to do so by popular mandate.

The Comelec, acting through its second division composed of Presiding Commissioner Nicodemo T. Ferrer and Commissioners Lucenito N. Tagle and Elias R. Yusoph, conducted non-stop hearing on the 10 petitions scheduled for the day fully aware that such petitions have to be resolved before November 20, 2009, the start of the 10-day period for the filing of certificates of candidacy for all elective positions and the filing of manifestation of intent to participate in the party-list system of representation.

A total of 256 similar petitions were filed before the August 17, 2009 deadline prompting the Comelec to conduct hearings daily starting at 8:30 a.m. instead of the usual 10 a.m. in which no less than 10 cases have to be tackled in one sitting.

Of the 10 petitions heard on Thursday, only one, Partido Magdiwang, led by Guia G. Gomez seeks to be registered as a political party. The rest are for accreditation under the party-list system of representation among which are the Association of Bible-Believing Educators and Entrepreneurs and the National Federation of Small Coconut Farmers Organization (SCFO).

On Friday, it will be the turn of the Comelec First Division composed of Presiding Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento and Commissioner Armando C. Velasco to hear 10 petitions starting at 8:30 a.m.

Of the 10 petitions scheduled for Friday, only one, Democratic People’s Party, seeks to be accredited as a political party. The rest want to participate in the May 10, 2010 elections.

Comelec Chairman Jose A.R. Melo said hearings on the petitions will be done speedily and objectively.

He said only those that fully comply with requirements will be considered.