The spotlight wasn’t just on the volleyball court at the Philsports Arena on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) launched its Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP) right at the venue, giving volleyball fans a chance to register or update their voter information while waiting for the games to begin.
For COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia, it was more than just a logistical move — it was a statement on how sports can be a force for civic change.
“Ang volleyball ngayon, kakaiba na talaga ang tingin ng mga kababayan natin—hindi lang po ang mga kabataan. Kahit ‘yung mga nakatatanda, ‘yung middle-aged Filipinos, iba po ang energy na natatanggap nila kapag nanonood sila ng volleyball, lalo na’t nakikita nila ‘yung mga hinahangaan natin na magagaling na volleyball players,” Garcia said.
That energy, he explained, can be harnessed to reach people where they are — whether inside arenas or in front of their screens — and remind them of a right many still take for granted: the right to vote.
“Nagbago. ‘Yung sports, puwede pala nating gamitin para mas maengganyo ang mga kababayan natin na i-exercise ang isang karapatan nila na dapat noon pa natin nae-exercise,” he added.
Before the first serve of the evening, the COMELEC also presented the league with a Certificate of Appreciation, recognizing the PVL’s role in promoting voter registration and education.
“We will be using all sectors, we will be using all possible means, just to ensure na makakaboto ang kababayan natin,” he said. “Sports is a great equalizer.”
The voter registration booth at Philsports was just one stop in the ongoing rollout of SRAP, which brings COMELEC’s services to train stations, campuses, government offices, and now, even sports arenas.
