PRESS RELEASE

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SIGNING OF MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.  The Commission on Elections and the Gaisano Grand Group of Companies forged a partnership for biometrics registration inside  the Gaisano Grand Malls, the first in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.  Present during the signing were (from left to right):  Genevieve Gaisano-Go, Exec. Vice President; Geraldine Gaisano-Anggala, President; Chairman Juan Andres Bautista; and James Arthur Jimenez, Director of Education and Information.

COMELEC, Gaisano Grand Malls team up for “No Bio. No Boto” campaign

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is forging partnership with one of the largest chains of malls in the Visayas and Mindanao to help voters register their biometric data.

 In a signing of the Memorandum of Agreement over the weekend, the COMELEC formally sealed the partnership with the Gaisano Grand Group of Companies to provide voters biometrics satellite registration booths in all its 27 malls located in different areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

        According to Juan Andres Bautista, Comelec Chairman, the idea of bringing the biometrics registration and validation inside the malls will provide convenience and accessibility to individuals who havenot yet registered for the 2016 elections.

      “Marami na ang malls na tumutulomg sa atin dito sa Metro Manila at sa Luzon, pero sa Visayas at sa Mindanao kailangan pa natin nang tulong. Kaya’t kami ay natutuwa na ang GaisanoGrand Group aysumali na rin,”  Chairman Bautista said. “We want the convenience of malls in the registration, not just to be felt by people in the cities but also in the outskirts.  So we are very happy with this partnership and we will continue to provide other services for the voters,” Bautista further explained.

This is the first partnership the Commission on Elections is forging in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.  Voters who still do not have biometrics data can now go to any Gaisano Grand Mall in different parts of the Visayas and Mindanao for registration and validation.

       “With our malls in multiple locations in the Visayas and Mndanao, we will be able to provide accessibility and convenience to those who wish to register.   By bringing the biometric registration inside our malls, we can help reach out to more people in the remote areas,” Geraldine Gaisano-Anggala, President of the Gaisano Grand Group of Companies, said.  “We thank the Commission on Elections and Chairman Bautista for giving us this opportunity to help in the expansion of our electoral system of registration.  It is an honor to be of service to our country, and we join the Philippines in striving and moving forward,”she added.

      Biometrics refers to the automated identification of an individual, which include his picture, fingerprint, and signature.  According to the poll body, voters are required to register their biometrics data.  Those who fail to submit their biometrics will be deactivated from the list of qualified voters and will not be eligible to vote in the 2016 elections.

      The Management of the Gaisano Grand Malls is encouraging those who have not registered to visit the nearest Gaisano Grand Mallwhere the satellite registration booths are set up for the updates and schedule of their respective district.

      For more details, one may call at telephone number (032)2738888.