RIYADH, 21 August 2006 — Community groups in the Kingdom are being urged to mobilize their members who have yet to register as absentee voters to sign up now as the Philippine Embassy announced an extension of the deadline.
According to the embassy, the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) has moved the last day of registration to Sept. 30 to accommodate those who have not yet registered.
The embassy said its Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) registration desk will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Saturdays to Wednesdays until Sept. 30.
At the same time, it will be sending teams to conduct registration campaigns outside Riyadh.
Those in hospitals and large companies that employ a significant number of Filipinos are also encouraged to request for an embassy team to provide the registration service at their worksite in any day of the week.
Requests and other inquiries regarding Absentee Voter’s Registration may be directed to Attaché Delza Deriada at telephone number (01) 488-0835 extension 2002 or at direct line (01)482-3559.
A community leader also appealed to the various groups in the Kingdom to mobilize their members and take advantage of the extended registration deadline.
“Let’s participate in our electoral exercises and show that the Philippines also have mature voters,” said Bong Amora, an OAV advocate who is the secretary-general of OFW Congress-Riyadh and head of Kakampi-KSA.
Amora said he still believes overseas absentee voters could provide “a cleansing vote,” a vote that could “put back the shattered pieces of Philippine politics.”
The OFW Congress-Riyadh and Kakampi-KSA had initiated OAV registrations at the Islamic Center a the 2nd Industrial Area, Riyadh Medical Complex, Elite International School in coordination with Black Python Martial Arts Association, and at the Al Sharq-Savola Recreation Center at the 2nd Industrial Area-Riyadh, in coordination with the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS).
A registration drive initiated by the community groups in Alkhobar and Jubail several months ago had also resulted in hundreds signing up.
