118,053 absentee votes cast – DFA

MANILA – Philippines – The number of overseas absentee voters has exceeded the voter turnout of 81,732 in 2007 to 118,053 for this year’s elections.

The Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) said yesterday it is expecting more voters to come in or mail their ballots in the next three days.

The deadline for receipt of mailed ballots for postal voting and casting of ballots for personal and automated modes of voting is on May 10 at 6 p.m. (Philippine time), the DFA-OAVS said.

It reported that the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has remained on top with 33,619 voters having cast their ballots, followed by the Philippine embassies in Riyadh, with 8,969 voters and Singapore, 7,384.

Other foreign service posts with high turnout of votes are the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, 5,714; Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Al Khobar, 4,069; Embassy in Kuwait, 3,963; Consulate General in Los Angeles, 3,148; Embassy in Abu Dhabi, 2,703; Consulate General in Dubai, 2,527; and Consulate General in New York, 2,392.

“Our embassies and consulates general are well prepared to receive the expected large number of voters who will cast their votes, even at the last minute,” said DFA Undersecretary and OAVS chairperson Rafael Seguis.

“Our kababayans (countrymen) have heeded the call of our embassies and consulates general, individually and through their community groups, to go out and vote,” Seguis said. –Pia Lee Brago (The Philippine Star)