The Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS), released today the tally for the first month of overseas voter (OV) registration in preparation for the 2016 Presidential Elections.
For the month of May, 2014, Philippine Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) processed a total of 18,631 new overseas voter registrant applications. This figure is 111% higher than (8,819) the first month of overseas voter registration for the 2013 Senatorial Elections; 64% more than (11,397) for the 2010 Presidential Elections; and more than 630% over (2,543) the 2007 Senatorial Elections.
If the Foreign Service continues to outperform itself at this pace, despite existing challenges, the ambitious goal set by the DFA-OVS and the COMELEC to gather one (1) million new overseas voter registrants, by the end of this registration cycle on 31 October 2015, is attainable. The total registered overseas voter stock accumulated during the previous registration periods stands at 975,263.
It is conceivable that the Foreign Service Posts could have performed, and can perform, better under ideal conditions. Their voter registration operations are currently being hampered by aging voter registration equipment which constantly malfunction. The equipment was provided by the COMELEC during the previous election cycles. DFA-OVS is closely coordinating with the COMELEC on how to address the situation. Both the Secretariat and the Commission are confident that a solution is at hand, despite the meager resources available to the COMELEC for overseas voter activities since it is not an election year.
Broken down by region, the FSPs in the Middle and Africa delivered 7,301 new OV registrants, 5,186 from the Americas, the European FSPs with 3,160, and 2,984 from the Asia Pacific. The top ten performers are Riyadh (1,398), Los Angeles (1,354), Jeddah (1,136), San Francisco (1,018), Abu Dhabi (973), Singapore (903), Dubai (877), New York (848), Lisbon (731), and London (678).
All Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad during the thirty day (09 April – 09 May 2016) overseas voting period for the 2016 Presidential Elections, at least 18 years old on 09 May 2016, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register as an overseas voter, at all Philippine Foreign Service Posts including the three (3) Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECO), and at COMELEC approved registration centers outside of the FSPs or in the Philippines. (for an updated list please go to www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph or www.comelec.gov.ph)
Attached is a copy of the tally of the new overseas voter registrants for the period covering 06-31 May 2014, and the top ten lists per region.
For the complete breakdown of voter registration tally, view the document: Overseas Voter Registration Tally [DFA]
Media release courtesy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2014.