JUBAIL, 20 April 2006 — A total of 748 Filipinos signed up in the first Philippine Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) field registration in Jubail last weekend, outperforming those in the bigger cities in a given weekend. Philippine Embassy officials in the Eastern Region said the number of those who signed up in Alkhobar on March 30 and 31 totaled only 266.
Roi Alojado, overall chairman of the All Filipino Community and Sports Commission (Afcscom), said that due to the success of the OAV registration outside Alkhobar, his group is now negotiating with the embassy to hold field registrations also at the Ras Tanura-Rahima areas and in Al-Hassa.
“This will ensure that more Filipinos in the Kingdom would register and vote in the Philippine national elections next year,” Alojado said.
There were 250 Filipinos who registered at the EQRA International School and 498 registered at the Al- Suwaidi Camp in Jubail.
Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla visited the city to ensure that the exercise went smoothly. Also present were Vice Consul Gerardo Abiog and Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz. Afscom officers from other areas also came to help.
The embassy said another list-up will be held on April 27 and 28 at the Al Bustan Hotel in Alkhobar, simultaneously with the consular outreach program.
Registration will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 27 (Thursday), and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on April 28 (Friday).
Applicants are advised to present their original, valid Philippine passport. For those who cannot present their original passports, a photocopy of the passport and any of the following documents will do: Philippine driver’s license, SSS card, employment card, birth certificate, marriage contract, or other documents to prove their identity.
The consular team, to be headed by Consul Germinia Aguilar-Usudan, will also process applications for passport renewals, document authentications, and notarials.