DAMMAM, 26 April 2007 — The Philippine ambassador to the Kingdom made an appeal yesterday for more Filipinos to vote in the ongoing overseas absentee voting for 12 senators and one party-list group. So far only a disappointing two percent of eligible voters have voted since polls opened around the world on April 14.
The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh is eyeing a larger turnout of absentee voters today and tomorrow, both at the embassy premises in Riyadh and at the International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA).
In a phone interview with Arab News, Ambassador Antonio Villamor said that he had written to 68 companies and medical institutions based in Riyadh and the Eastern Province asking them to allow their registered Filipino workers to cast their votes during the election period which will conclude on May 14. This is the embassy’s effort to increase turnout of voters since the number of first week voters was very low compared to the total number of registered voters, he said.
Despite the low results, Saudi Arabia still ranked third in the highest number of voters turnout in the overseas absentee voting, followed by Hong Kong and Italy.
The embassy began communicating with companies and medical institutions which employ substantial number of Filipinos, even before the start of the overseas absentee voting eleven days ago.
“We asked these institutions to allow their Filipino employees to vote and to provide them with adequate transportation,” he said.
He added that the embassy continues to receive and respond to requests from Filipino community leaders and individuals to send official letters to their employers regarding the elections.
During the first week of voting, 1,403 voters cast their ballots in Riyadh while 652 voted in Alkhobar and 808 in Jeddah.
Villamor noted that it is a common trait of many Filipinos to do things at the last minute. “I do appeal for them to vote early in order to avoid the last minute rush,” he said.
There are more than 100,000 registered Filipino voters throughout the Kingdom.
But, OFWs also interviewed by Arab News said that they felt less enthusiastic about the senatorial elections than the presidential elections in 2004. The participation of a lot of showbiz personalities turned off some OFWs, causing them to decide not to vote this time.
The ambassador also expressed optimism that the turnout rate would increase in the remaining three weeks of voting once the workers of the 68 companies start trooping to the voting centers.
“There is a saying that decisions are made by those who show up, so I urge every registered Filipino voter to come out and vote and let your voices be heard,” he said.
Villamor also appealed to the Filipinos in the Kingdom to not let the opportunity to exercise their right of suffrage just pass.
He said that the Philippine Congress, the Commission on Elections, and the Department of Foreign Affairs had exerted a lot of effort to prepare and implement the overseas absentee voting in order to hear the voices of Filipinos abroad on who they wish to be the next leaders of the Philippines.
“I am appealing to our kababayans (countrymen) to come out and vote, and they must vote wisely. They know who should be the right candidates to put in the Senate. They know who will protect the rights of OFWs more than anybody else,” Ambassador Villamor said.
