Continuing Registration for Philippine Overseas Absentee Voters to Begin on Oct. 1

MANILA, 28 February 2005 — The Commission on Elections has announced that the continuing registration for overseas absentee voters will begin in Philippine embassies abroad on Oct. 1.

Commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr., head of the Comelec committee on overseas voting, said the date was set during a meeting of officials of the commission with lawmakers, and representatives of various government agencies involved with overseas Filipino affairs and various concerned non-governmental organizations.

“We want to further improve our registration procedures so that we can deliver the vote to even more of our countrymen, come 2007,” Tuason said.

Ellene Sana of the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) said his group is asking that registration be conducted both in Manila and abroad since the government estimates that close to 3,000 Filipinos leave for various destinations overseas everyday.

She said such an option should be considered since registration will still be personal and it would be difficult for many overseas Filipinos to go to the embassies and consulates to register.

Registration could also be held at local or provincial Comelec offices to make it easier for OFWs who leave Manila upon arrival in the Philippines for their homes in the provinces. Besides, Sana said, the heads of the provincial or local Comelec offices would be better able to confirm the identity of the registrant.

CMA further proposed that the Comelec also set up registration centers in other airports catering to international flights (like Mactan airport in Cebu, Davao International Airport in Davao City, the Laoag International Airport in the Ilocos and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Angeles, Pampanga.)

Sana said at the NAIA, there is already a pre-departure lounge exclusive for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “They may want to set up the registration there where it’s quieter,” she said.

The second overseas absentee voting exercise will be held in May 2007 when elections for senators and party-list representatives will be held.

Only about 360,000 overseas Filipinos registered as absentee voters in the May 2004 general elections. The number is expected to increase gradually as Filipinos who have taken foreign citizenship are now allowed to regain their Philippine citizenship.