CEBU CITY – Two Cebuano congressman have expressed their strong opposition to any extension of the registration for new voters with the Commission on Election (Comelec) saying it would only send a negative signal to the youth.

Cebu’s 3rd District Representative Pablo John Garcia said those who failed to register with Comelec, especially the youth, should be taught a lesson and learn that their right as a citizen and their right to vote is something that they must take care not to be negligent about.

“The registration process had been going on for a year. In our time, we only had few days to register and we took the sacrifice of lining up and going to the Comelec to exercise our right as citizen,” said Garcia during the recent weekly 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel in Cebu City.

Garcia said the youth should be taught how to exercise the value of being on time and being punctual instead of having institutions like the poll body bend to their demands.

“Educating the youth should start now; we can’t just bend to their (the youth) demands,” said Garcia, adding that the new registrants were give one year to register but only trooped to Comelec offices on the last day of the registration.

Cebu First District Representative Eduardo Gullas also expressed his opposition to the extension of registration.

He stressed, "The problem is that a lot of people waited until the last minute when in fact the reminder to register was in the news nearly every day. Why didn't they register then?"

Comelec has already ruled out the possibility of extending the registration period for new voters beyond midnight last Oct. 31.

The poll body’s spokesperson, lawyer James Jimenez said Comelec must finalize the list of voters for the May 10 election by November. An extension of the registration period would mean delays that can jeopardize its already tight schedule.