RIYADH, 26 August — Campaigners for absentee voting are asking OFWs in the Kingdom to help get lawmakers in Manila to act on the long-overdue measure that would allow overseas Filipinos to vote.

In a meeting last Thursday at the Philippine Embassy, the convenors of the International Coalition on Overseas Filipinos Voting Rights (ICOFVR)-Riyadh Chapter and community leaders said it’s time for overseas Filipinos to act as one and fight for their right to vote.

As the campaign’s name Tutukan si Congressman! suggests, participants of the meeting said every member of the community who has access to computers should e-mail their congressmen and senators to express their concern over the continued delay in the passage of absentee voting bills pending in the two houses of Congress.

For those who prefer to write via the "snail mail," the same will be appreciated, said the community leaders.

"The campaign complements ICOFVR’s on-going lobbying efforts on the internet via PhilippineUpdate.com, eLagda, OFWNet, among others," said campaigner Rashid Fabricante.

Kits containing copies of telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, and office of all the members of Congress will be made available to everyone. The kit also contains a ready-made letter with a heading that reads: "Boto Ko, Karapatan Ko. Pass the Absentee Voting Bill Now! Itaguyod Mo Kabayan ... Panahon Na!" The full text of the letter is written in Pilipino.

Community leaders are requested to help disseminate information to their respective organizations and explain to their members the objectives of the campaign.

"We can also ask a friend or a family member to put up streamers, say, at the San Juanico Bridge, where motorists and passers-by can notice," Alex Bello, one of the prime movers of the signature campaign, suggested during a workshop in the meeting.

Mike Bolos informed that a group of OFWs in Japan had produced banners and streamers and sent them to the Philippines and are now draped from the buildings along the road leading to the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

No to remittance boycott

Majority of the participants of the meeting, however, did not approve the call to have a regulated remittance boycott or slowing down of remittances due to its economic implications. However, some participants said that it still could be done without putting their families at risk by remitting through other channels.

Alfred Ganapin stressed that all OFW groups really have to join the campaign because while their are those at home who have been actively lobbying for absentee voting, the initiative should come from those who would benefit from it.

The right of overseas Filipinos to vote in Philippine national elections is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution but an enabling law is needed for that right to be exercised.

Lack of action on the part of overseas Filipinos to assert their right, however, has enabled some unscrupulous and selfish legislators to deny them that right.

Miriam Defensor Santiago, for one, held overseas Filipinos hostage because of her personal contempt for then President Fidel Ramos, whom she accused of cheating her in the 1992 presidential election.

Today, overseas Filipinos are now being held hostage by some unreconstructed congressmen even though they would not in any way be affected by OFW votes. Overseas Filipinos would be allowed to vote only for the president, vice president, senators and party-list representatives.

These obstacles in Congress are also the target of the TALSIK portion of the campaign, which stands for "Tanggalin Ang mga Lintik at Sagabal at Inutil na mga Kongresista (Kick Out the Scums in Congress).

Among those given special mention in the TALSIK campaign were Gilbert Remulla of Cavite (2nd district), Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, Felix Fuentebella Camarines Sur (3rd district), and Digaden Dilanggalen of Maguindanao (1st district).

All these anti-absentee voting congressmen mentioned are orphans of ousted President Joseph Estrada. Interestingly, Estrada’s allies in the Senate, such as Edgardo Angara and Panfilo Lacson, are actively pushing for the measure.

What this shows, observers said, is that support or opposition to absentee voting is non-partisan.

A more active and high-profile lobbying by overseas Filipinos is all the more necessary, observers said, because President Arroyo and her allies seem to be in no hurry to see the measure passed.

Perla Vega, one of the convenors and founding chairwoman of the group Mother, has brought with her copies of the 15,000 signatures gathered for the bicameral hearing in Riyadh last March to present to President Arroyo, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and House Speaker Jose de Venecia in hopes of getting their support.

Romie Cahucom of the group Ofwins said only those politicians with ignoble intentions should fear an OFW vote.

"There’s now a realization among these legislators that an OFW vote is an intelligent vote because we are not captives to the influences and favors dispensed by politicians. Our vote can improve the quality of the electoral process," he said.