Filipina Soul

Philippine Election time!

If you’re a Filipino OFW in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Hongkong and you want to participate in the national elections this April, here is news for you:

Don’t expect to receiving (and sending) a ballot by mail. You’ll have to go through the usual conventional system of voting, i.e., actually find a polling place near you to cast your votes.

Philippine’s Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that this system is best for the following countries because most mails are routed through a P.O. box and recipients don’t get their mails in a timely manner.

Estrella De Mesa, Deputy Executive Director for Administration of Comelec in Manila, said the commission had decided to implement the conventional system of casting ballots in the two countries and Hong Kong because of the expected turnout of voters. “During the last Philippine national elections in 2004, we witnessed an impressive turnout in these countries,” she said.

If you’re a registered Filipino voter residing in other countries, then mailing your ballot is good enough. There was some news about an internet voting, I’m not sure yet if this pushes through. Anyone in the know?

Now, I wonder which system (mail or personal appearance) ensures our ballots aren’t switched? … ok, don’t get me started. I would like to stay optimistic.

[News source: Filipino expats can't vote by mail]

Tags: Philippine elections, national elections, Philippine Commision on Elections, Comelec, online voting, voting, ballot

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