JEDDAH, 12 September 2005 — Filipinos abroad who have not registered in the 2003 Overseas Absentee Voting exercise have all the time to do so starting Oct. 1, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh said yesterday.
Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla said the registration, which ends on Aug. 31, 2006, will allow those qualified the opportunity to vote in the next Philippine elections for senators and party-list representatives on May 14, 2007.
Filipino citizens 18 years old and above are encouraged to register and vote.
Registration will be held during work hours in Philippine embassies or consulates.
At the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah, registration will be from Saturday to Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., during the eleven-month period.
Under Republic Act No. 9189, known as the Overseas Absentee Act, the requirements for registration include only a valid Philippine passport and a registration form prescribed by the Commission on Election (Comelec) and filled up by the applicant.
In the absence of a valid passport, the applicant can seek a certification from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it has reviewed the appropriate documents submitted by the applicant and found them sufficient to warrant the issuance of a passport, or that the applicant is a holder of a valid passport but is unable to produce the same for a valid reason.
Guinomla said a general description of the requirements for the registration is available at the embassy.
Interested parties may contact OAV Coordinator, Delza Lourdes V. Deriada, through telephone no. (01) 488-0835 ext. 2002.
The consulate in Jeddah can be contacted through telephone nos. (02) 660-0348, 663-0354 or 667-0925.
Ambassador Guinomla also said that the embassy is soliciting support from Filipino community organizations by informing their officers and members of the upcoming registration so that every Filipino citizen would be able to exercise their right of choose their leaders.