Exercise right to suffrage, Pinoys overseas urged

With this, the poll body reminded Filipinos overseas that the OAV period will start on April 13 until May 13. (Shutterstock Photo)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday urged Filipinos working or living abroad to participate in the overseas absentee voting (OAV) in connection with the May 13 elections.

With this, the poll body reminded Filipinos overseas that the OAV period will start on April 13 until May 13.

“Wherever you are in the world, you can vote and participate in the elections,” the poll body said in its Twitter account, @COMELEC.

Voters overseas will be participating in the national polls as they will only elect 12 senators and one party-list group.

There are a total of 1,822,173 overseas absentee voters, according to the data from the Comelec- Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV).

Of the number, most of them are land-based workers numbering to 1,779,140 while the rest are sea-based workers at 43,033.

The Middle East and African Region has the highest number of registered voters with 887,744; followed by the Asia Pacific Region with 401,390; North and Latin American Region with 345,415; and European Region with 187,624.

On the other hand, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez noted that there are various modes in casting their votes under the OAV, automated voting using the vote counting machines (VCMs), manual voting through posting and personal voting.

“It depends on the area where one is casting his/her vote,” he said in his Twitter account, @jabjimenez.

As for sea-based workers, the Comelec official added that they will be able to cast their votes wherever they may be.

A total of 41 out of the 83 countries/posts will be using the VCM and 42 countries/posts will be utilizing the manual system of voting, including 29 postal voting and 13 personal voting.