159,100 overseas voters register under absentee voting program

MANILA, Philippines – The number of Filipino overseas voters has reached 159,100 after six months of registration, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

As of July 31 2009, the following Foreign Service Posts garnered the most registrants for the absentee voting: Hong Kong (16,332), Los Angeles (8,884), Dubai (8,602), Singapore (6,982), London (4,903), Riyadh (4,860), New York (4,484), Toronto (4,349), Tokyo (3,648), and Jeddah (3,516).

Closely behind the top 10 posts are Washington D.C. (3,410), Brunei (3,164) and Chicago (3,114).

Overseas absentee voting registration centers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration have garnered 36,658 new registrants.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said this year’s absentee voter registration will intensify in the final month of the exercise as Filipino community organizations abroad continue their cooperation, assistance and support to foreign service posts.

“So far, the various Philippine foreign service establishments (embassies, consulates and missions) and other offices (POLO-Al Khobar) including private establishments (MECO-Taipei, Kaoshiung and Taichung) have conducted field and mobile registration in 188 sites or venues. Such registrations will take place in 71 sites or venues for August,” he said.

Field registrations are scheduled to take place in many sites worldwide during the remainder of the registration period, which will end on Aug. 31 this year, he added.

The OAVS may still receive requests for such registration activities in the coming days.

It has sent letters to 1,574 Filipino community organizations around the world.

It has also continued to promote absentee voter registration through the media and similar forums.

It has also sought the help of the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig) in disseminating flyers in their offices to inform Filipinos and their families about the absentee voter registration. –Pia Lee-Brago (philstar.com)