RIYADH: With the deadline for Absentee Voting (OAV) fast approaching, several Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) around the world are seriously debating across various social networking sites in search of the right candidate to represent them in the Philippine Congress and the Senate in the upcoming election next year.

OFWs represent 11 percent of the population of 92 million Filipinos working overseas. They have sent $9.3 billion in remittances for the first five months this year alone but they have never represented themselves in the senate. They won in the congress race one time ten years back but their party-list candidate from Riyadh in 2001 was lost.

According to a previous report the number of OAV registrants so far at the embassy this year is 6,600. The number brings to 56,600 the total number of OFWs in Riyadh who have registered for the OAV since 2003.

Under the OAV Act, officially known as Republic Act 9189, Filipinos outside the Philippines are provided with a system to vote in an election. This law was passed in 2003, being implemented by the Commission on Elections with the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

A group of Kaagapay ng bawat OFW or “Ally of Every OFW” originated from Jeddah, with a 14,976 members from around the world requested their fellow OFWs to join with them in searching for a qualified and OFW in heart representative.

In his invitation, Group Administrator Bong Concha said that Aug. 21 will be a memorable day for Kaagapay ng Bawat because OFWs agreed to have a representation of OFWs in the upcoming midterm election on April 2013.

He said that his group is not a political one but we need to have a representative he said stressing that this is a high time our voices should be heard in the congress.

The group has suggested some names but discussion still going on to give more time for others to participate and share their opinion. Talking on the Philippine election regulation Concha said that according to Republic act No. 7941, an act providing for the election of party-list representative through the party-list system, and appropriating funds.

Referring to the Section 9 qualifications of party-list nominees, he said no person shall be nominated as party-list representative unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, “a resident of the Philippines for a period of not less than one (1) year immediately preceding the day of the election,” able to read and write, a bona fide member of the party or organization which he seeks to represent for at least ninety (90) days preceding the day of the election, and is at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the day of the election.

Jeddah-based OFW Lanny Belarmino said this a good idea for us to have OFWs’ representative, but she added, we need more support from our fellow OFWs to realize our aim. “ I am sure, with the extra talent of Filipinos, we will eventually find an representative with OFW heart” she observed.

Elsewhere, a US based-OFWs are campaigning for Senatorial seat. A Facebook group called Noli Dazo for Senator of the Philippines has been campaigning for their nominee since last year. The group has 8,055 members. The Philippine Embassy reminded recently OFWs in Saudi Arabia that the deadline for registration in Overseas on Oct. 31 and encourage all overseas Filipinos in the Kingdom to register now or before the deadline expires so that they could vote in next year’s elections.