The short, honest answer is:

There is no fixed number of days in law that tells you exactly when you can get a voter’s certification after an ERB hearing.

You can request a certification as soon as your registration has been approved by the ERB and your record has been encoded/updated in COMELEC’s database. In practice, this is often about 1–3 weeks after the ERB hearing, but it can be shorter or longer depending on the local office.

Below is a detailed legal-style explanation in the Philippine context.

I. Legal Framework

The main sources of law and rules on voter registration and ERB hearings are:

Constitution, Article V – on suffrage.
Omnibus Election Code (B.P. Blg. 881) – general election law.
Republic Act No. 8189 – Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 (core law on registration and ERB).
Various COMELEC resolutions on continuing registration, ERB schedules, and the form of voter’s list and certifications.

None of these laws set a precise waiting period (e.g., “10 days after ERB hearing”) for the issuance of a voter’s certification. Instead, they regulate:

When and how the Election Registration Board (ERB) meets and decides on applications.
How the list of voters and book of voters are prepared, updated, and posted.
Cut-off periods before elections.

The voter’s certification itself is an administrative document issued by COMELEC, proving that a person is a registered voter in a particular precinct. Its issuance is governed more by COMELEC internal procedures than by explicit statutory deadlines.

II. What Is an ERB Hearing?

A. Composition and Role of the ERB

Under RA 8189, the Election Registration Board (ERB) in each city/municipality typically consists of:

The Election Officer (EO) – Chairperson
The Local Civil Registrar – Member
The Public Schools District Supervisor/City Schools Superintendent – Member

The ERB’s main job is to approve or disapprove applications for registration-related transactions, such as:

New registration
Transfer of registration
Reactivation of a deactivated record
Change of name, correction of entries, etc.

B. Schedule of ERB Hearings

By law, the ERB meets on fixed quarterly dates (commonly the third Monday of January, April, July, and October or on the next working day) to hear applications that have been filed during the prior registration period.

These meetings:

Review the list of applicants prepared and posted by the EO.
Allow objections or oppositions to be heard.
Result in the approval or disapproval of each application.

C. Outcome of the Hearing

At or after the hearing, the ERB will:

Declare an application approved or disapproved.
Cause the updating of the list of voters and book of voters, through the EO and COMELEC’s information systems.

The crucial point for our topic: You cannot be issued a valid voter’s certification as a registered voter of a precinct until you are actually recorded as approved and included in the official list of voters/COMPUTERIZED voters’ database.

III. What Is a Voter’s Certification?

A voter’s certification (sometimes called “voter’s certificate”) is a document issued by COMELEC, usually containing:

Your full name and details
Your precinct number and voting center
Confirmation that you are a registered voter of a specific locality
The signature of the Election Officer or authorized official
COMELEC’s dry seal

It is often used as:

Supporting document for passport applications
Proof of identity and residence for various government/financial transactions
Evidence of registration in election-related disputes

It is different from the old Voter’s ID card (which COMELEC discontinued and replaced with certifications).

IV. Process Flow: From ERB Hearing to Voter’s Certification

To understand “how long,” you need to see the sequence:

Filing of application
- New registration / transfer / reactivation / correction.
- Data and biometrics captured at the local COMELEC office.
Posting of list of applicants
- EO posts the list of applicants in designated places before the ERB hearing, as mandated by RA 8189.
- This allows objections and challenges.
ERB hearing
- Held on the scheduled quarterly date.
- ERB reviews applications and any objections.
- Each application is approved or disapproved.
Recording and encoding
- Approved applications are:
  - Recorded in the local records.
  - Encoded or updated in COMELEC’s computerized voters’ database, at local or central level.
Inclusion in the list of voters / book of voters
- Once encoded and processed, your name is formally part of the precinct’s list of voters.
- This is the legal basis for:
  - Your right to vote in that precinct.
  - The issuance of a voter’s certification.
Issuance of voter’s certification
- After your record is active in the system, you may:
  - Go to the local COMELEC office (or satellite office as applicable).
  - Request a voter’s certification, pay the fee (unless exempt), and have it printed.

V. What the Law Says About Timing (vs. Reality)

A. Statutory Timelines

RA 8189 and related rules specify:

When ERB meets – fixed quarterly dates.
Posting and publication periods – how many days before the hearing the list of applicants must be posted.
Cut-off periods for registration before elections – e.g., no new applications within a certain number of days before election day.
Appeals and challenges – periods for motions for inclusion/exclusion and appeals from ERB decisions.

However, the law does not say:

“Applicant can get a voter’s certification exactly X days after ERB approval.”

In other words, statute law stops at the preparation and maintenance of the voters’ list, and the certificate is a result of administrative implementation.

B. Administrative/Practical Timelines

In reality, two main things control the timing:

When the ERB decision is recorded and encoded.
- Some local offices encode very quickly.
- Others experience delays due to:
  - Volume of applications (especially before big elections).
  - Limited staff.
  - Technical issues (network downtime, system lag, etc.).
When your record becomes visible in COMELEC’s system.
- For some applicants, the record appears within days after the ERB hearing.
- In other cases, it may take a few weeks.

Most local COMELEC offices will not issue a voter’s certification indicating that you are a registered voter of a precinct until they can see your approved record in the system and/or in the updated list of voters.

VI. So, How Long After the ERB Hearing Can You Get a Certification?

Legally speaking:

As soon as your approved registration is duly entered into the list of voters/book of voters and appears in COMELEC’s database, you may request a voter’s certification.

Practically:

Same day or a few days after ERB hearing
- Possible in some offices if:
  - ERB decisions are encoded on the day of the hearing or shortly after, and
  - Your record is already in the system when you inquire.
Common experience: around 1–3 weeks after the ERB hearing
- Many local offices take several working days to encode and synchronize data.
- This is especially true in highly populated cities or during peak registration and pre-election periods.
Longer (several weeks or more)
- If there are:
  - Technical problems with the system
  - Backlogs in data encoding
  - Questions or disputes about your application
  - Pending appeals

Key Point

You are not counting from the ERB hearing in the abstract; you are really waiting until the approved record is actually encoded and visible. The ERB hearing is the legal step; the encoding is the practical step.

VII. How to Check If You Can Already Get Your Voter’s Certification

Before going to COMELEC to request your certification, you can do the following:

Ask the local COMELEC office (Election Officer)
- Call or visit and ask:
  - If the ERB has already finished encoding the approvals for that quarter.
  - If they can see your name in the system as an active/approved voter in your precinct.
Use COMELEC’s online or SMS verification services (if available)
- When your name appears as registered and active in your new precinct, that is a good sign that the office should be able to issue a voter’s certification.
Check posted lists at barangay halls or municipal/city hall
- Sometimes the updated list of voters is posted in public places.
- If you see your name there, that supports your entitlement to a certification.

VIII. Factors That Affect the Waiting Time

Several factors can shorten or lengthen the gap between the ERB hearing and the issuance of a voter’s certification:

Type of transaction
- New registration
  - Needs full encoding and inclusion in the list.
- Transfer of registration
  - Your old precinct record has to be updated, and new precinct record created.
- Reactivation
  - If your record already exists but is deactivated, reactivation may be quicker once approved.
- Correction of entries / change of name
  - May require additional review.
Office workload
- Urban COMELEC offices with large populations often face heavy backlogs.
- In quieter municipalities, encoding might be faster.
Proximity to an election
- Registration surges before major elections.
- System and staff are heavily loaded, which can cause delays.
Technical resources
- Availability of functioning computers, network connectivity, and access to COMELEC’s central database.
Administrative policies
- Some offices schedule specific days for processing certifications or have cut-off times per day.

IX. What If You Need the Voter’s Certification Urgently?

If you need the certification (for example, for a passport appointment or other urgent transaction):

Time your request
- Find out when your ERB hearing is scheduled and when encoding is expected to be done.
- Plan your request after that estimated encoding period.
Explain the urgency
- When you visit COMELEC, explain clearly why you need the certification.
- Some offices may accommodate urgent requests if your record is already visible in the system.
Bring complete documents
- Valid ID(s)
- Any acknowledgement slips or stubs from your application
- Your precinct or application reference number, if available
Ask about alternatives
- If your new or transferred registration is not yet encoded, but your prior registration (in your old precinct) is still in the system and active, you might be able to get a certification showing your old precinct, if that is acceptable for your purpose.

X. Special Situations

A. Deactivated Voters

If your registration was deactivated (e.g., failure to vote in two successive regular elections, or due to conviction of disqualifying offenses) and you applied for reactivation:

ERB must first approve your reactivation.
Once approved and encoded, your status becomes active.
Only then can you get a voter’s certification indicating your active status.

B. Youth Voters (Turning 18 Before Election Day)

If you applied for registration as a 17-year-old who will turn 18 on or before election day:

ERB may approve your application.
You become a registered voter when the law considers you qualified, typically by the time of the election.
The issuance of a certification may depend on whether your record shows you as a qualified, active voter at the time you request it.

C. Pending Appeals or Challenges

If someone challenged your application, or you filed an appeal against disapproval:

Until the ERB’s decision is final and implemented, your status may be uncertain.
COMELEC may hold off on issuing certifications that assume your registration is valid.

XI. Practical Tips When Dealing With COMELEC

Know your ERB schedule
- Ask when your application will be heard.
- Record the date (e.g., “ERB Hearing: Third Monday of July”).
After the hearing, ask directly
- A few days after the hearing, ask the EO’s office:
  - “Approved na po ba ang application ko?”
  - “Naka-encode na po ba sa system ang pangalan ko?”
Ask when you can realistically expect your record to appear
- The staff can often give an approximate timeline (“next week,” “after two weeks,” etc.)
Bring exact information
- Full name (and former name if you changed it)
- Exact birthdate
- Old and new address
- Old precinct number (if transfer)
Budget for fees
- Voter’s certifications usually come with a processing fee, unless exempt.
- Have cash ready in the amount the local office requires.

XII. Summary and Core Takeaways

Law does not fix a specific number of days. RA 8189 and related laws do not state “X days after ERB hearing you can get a voter’s certification.”
Key condition: your record must be approved and encoded. You can only get a voter’s certification once:
- The ERB has approved your application, and
- Your data is encoded in COMELEC’s system and included in the updated list of voters.
Typical practical waiting time: about 1–3 weeks, but it varies. Some applicants can get a certification within days, others wait longer, depending on local encoding speed and office workload.
Best practice: coordinate with your local COMELEC office. Ask them directly:
- Whether the ERB has already decided on your application.
- Whether your name is already appearing as a registered voter in their system.
- When they can issue your certification.
Delays are administrative, not always legal. Most waiting time after the ERB hearing is due to administrative encoding and system updates, not because the law requires you to wait a particular number of days.

Short, practical rule of thumb

If you want a simple guideline:

Wait until at least a week after the ERB hearing, then check with your local COMELEC office if your record is already in their system. Once it appears as an approved, active registration, you may request your voter’s certification.

For legally sensitive situations (e.g., election protests or strict documentary requirements), it is still wise to consult a Philippine lawyer or directly ask COMELEC for official written guidance.