“Where to Get a Voter’s ID in Pampanga”

A Philippine legal-practitioner’s guide

1. Context: Why the “Voter’s ID” no longer exists

Suspension of printing (2017-present). By virtue of several Commission on Elections (COMELEC) resolutions—most notably Res. No. 10148 (-2016) and the budget realignment that followed—mass printing of the polyvinyl “Voter’s ID” was stopped nationwide.
Advent of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). Republic Act No. 11055 (-2018), the PhilSys Act, designates the PhilID as the government’s single official ID. COMELEC has since redirected resources to (a) voter registration services and (b) issuing Voter’s Certifications in lieu of the discontinued card.
Legal effect. The old green-and-white Voter’s ID remains a valid proof of identity, but no new cards are being produced. Persons needing evidence of registration must now obtain either a PhilID or a COMELEC-issued Voter’s Certification.

Bottom line: When Pampanga residents ask, “Where can I get a Voter’s ID?”, the accurate 2025 answer is: you cannot; you will be given a Voter’s Certification instead.

2. Governing statutes & regulations

Instrument	Key provisions relevant to voter identification
1987 Constitution, Art. V	Universal suffrage; registration requirement.
R.A. 8189 — Voter’s Registration Act of 1996	Defines the voter’s database and empowers COMELEC to issue identification evidence.
COMELEC Res. No. 9853 (2013)	Implemented the nationwide biometrics capture for ID printing (now moot).
COMELEC Res. Nos. 10148, 10230, 10549	Successive directives suspending ID card printing and authorizing Certifications.
R.A. 11055 — Philippine Identification System Act (2018)	Establishes PhilID; makes it accepted for all public/private transactions.

3. What a Voter’s Certification is

Nature. A computer-generated, dry-sealed, and signed document on security paper stating that the bearer is a registered voter of a specific precinct.
Legal weight. Treated by banks, embassies, and most government offices as a primary or secondary ID, depending on their internal rules. It is explicitly recognized in PhilHealth, SSS, GSIS, LTO, DFA, and passport regulations.
Validity. Typically valid for one year from date of issue, unless the requesting agency imposes a shorter period.

4. Offices in Pampanga that issue Certifications

COMELEC calls each front-line office an Office of the Election Officer (OEO). Each city/municipality has one; the Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Office in San Fernando provides supervisory oversight and can also issue certifications in exceptional cases (e.g., lost OEO records).

Jurisdiction	Where to go	Normal business hours*
City of San Fernando (capital)	OEO–CSF, 2F, Multi-Purpose Hall, City Hall Compound, Brgy. Sto. Rosario	8 a.m.–5 p.m., Mon–Fri
Angeles City	OEO–Angeles, Ground Floor, City Hall Annex, Pulung Maragul	same
Mabalacat City	OEO–Mabalacat, Xevera Lot, Brgy. Tabun	same
All other municipalities (e.g., Apalit, Guagua, Lubao, Porac, etc.)	Respective OEO inside or beside the municipal hall	same

*Subject to Pampanga local ad hoc holidays; during province-wide festival days offices may close at noon—check advisories on COMELEC’s Facebook page or municipal websites.

5. Eligibility & documentary requirements

Applicant category	Bring these	Fee (2025)
Registered voter	1. Any one valid government ID (PhilID, passport, driver’s license, SSS/UMID, PRC, postal, etc.) 2. Official Personal Appearance (no representatives allowed)	₱100
Indigent / senior / PWD	Same as above or Barangay Certificate of Indigency/PWD ID Senior ID	Waived under COMELEC Minute Resolution 19-0530

Payment is made at the OEO cashier; official receipt is stapled to the request slip.

6. Step-by-step procedure

Verify registration status. Ask the OEO information desk or use the precinct finder at voterverifier.comelec.gov.ph (if online).
Secure a queue stub at the guard/information desk.
Fill out the request form (one-page pro-forma: name, precinct, purpose).
Submit form, ID, and fee to the issuing clerk.
Biometric confirmation: clerk pulls up your digital photograph and biometrics; you sign in a signature pad.
Printing & dry seal. Certification is printed, signed by the Election Officer, and dry-sealed on site.
Release: Average processing time 10-15 minutes if records are in order; may extend to 1-2 hours during peak registration seasons (January–September of odd-number years).

7. Practical notes for Pampanga residents

Centralization option. If your municipality’s OEO system is down, the PES Office (3F, Capitol Compound, City of San Fernando) can issue a certification, but only upon a written referral from your municipal OEO.
Bulk requests for overseas work. Several OEOs in Pampanga allow group scheduling for agencies deploying Kapampangan workers abroad—coordinate at least 3 days in advance.
Lost or damaged old Voter’s ID. You cannot ask for a reprint; you will only be given a Certification.
PhilID substitute. If you already possess a PhilID, you rarely need a Voter’s Certification; almost every agency now accepts the PhilID as primary proof of identity and address.
Upcoming automation. COMELEC’s VIMS (Voter Information Management System) pilot in 2025 aims to allow QR-code digital certifications; Pampanga is in Phase 2 (expected Q1 2026). Until then, physical certificates remain standard.

8. Frequently-asked legal questions

Does the Certification prove my right to vote? Yes. Under §28, R.A. 8189, the certified list of voters—from which the certificate draws—constitutes prima facie proof of the right to vote in that precinct.
Can a Certification be notarized? It is already a public document bearing an official dry seal; notarization is unnecessary and sometimes disallowed by notaries public (NCPPO Cir. 31-2019).
May an authorized representative obtain it for me? No. Personal appearance is compulsory because COMELEC must verify biometrics pursuant to Res. No. 10230.
Is the fee refundable if the requesting agency later rejects it? No. The ₱100 is a regulatory fee, not a security deposit.

9. Checklist (tear-off style)

☑ Confirm you are an active voter of Pampanga.
☑ Bring one valid ID (or indigency proof).
☑ Prepare ₱100 (unless exempt).
☑ Go in person to your city/municipal OEO (8 a.m.–5 p.m.).
☑ Receive your dry-sealed Voter’s Certification within the same visit.

10. Final take-aways

The phrase “Where to get a Voter’s ID in Pampanga” persists in everyday speech, but the legal instrument has evolved. Since 2017, COMELEC issues Voter’s Certifications—documents that, in law and in practice, fulfill the same evidentiary function while the country transitions to the PhilSys national ID regime. For Kapampangans, the process is straightforward: visit your local OEO, bring a valid ID and the ₱100 fee (or proof of exemption), and walk out the same day with official proof of your registration. Until COMELEC, Congress, or the Supreme Court mandates otherwise, this is—comprehensively—the state of the law and practice as of 30 May 2025.