14 November 2015 - The Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS), announced on November 12 that after receiving the final tally reports for the recently concluded 2014-2015 overseas voting registration/certification period last October 31 from the Foreign Service Posts, Manila Cultural Offices and Local Overseas Voter Registration Centers, the total number of Active Registered Voters (ARVs) surpassed the 1.4 million mark at 1,400,767 for the 2016 national elections.
“This is the first time in the history of Philippine overseas voting that we will have over one million active overseas registered voters for an election. This is the result of lessons learned from the previous electoral cycles, consistent hard work of our Foreign Service Posts, and genuine interest of our kababayans to exercise their right to choose our new leaders. Their desire to actively participate in our political process could be a sign that our democracy has reached a new level of maturity after almost thirty years of its restoration,” explained DFA-OVS Chair, Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis.
In a letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario, COMELEC Commissioner-in-Charge of overseas voting Arthur D. Lim said, “I would like to commend the Department of Foreign Affairs, especially the DFA-OVS, for its tremendous efforts contributing to the increase in the number of the overseas registered voters. The total number of overseas registered voters worldwide is now roughly 1.4 million. This is mainly because of our partner agencies such as the DFA-OVS, Foreign Service Posts/Embassies/Consulates, Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), and media partners.”
“The preparations by the Department and the Commission on Elections led to a successful start for the registration process,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Del Rosario said in a letter.
“COMELEC lauds the effort of the DFA-OVS and all the Philippine Embassies in their aggressive campaign to increase the number of registered Overseas Filipino Voters. I sincerely appreciate the initiatives to put up overseas registration centers in the country as well as in our Embassies. I also commend the Embassies for including the overseas voting registration in their mobile consular services. I hope we can further look into the possibility of holding these registrations in public areas like malls, public squares and parks, community centers and other suitable places where the host government allows the conduct of election related activities,” COMELEC Chairman Andres D. Bautista wrote to DFA-OVS Chair, Usec. Seguis.
The period for filing of application for reactivation of registration records for the one hundred sixty-three thousand nineteen (163,019) overseas voters who were deactivated (per COMELEC Resolution 9983) for failing to vote in two consecutive national elections has been extended from 31 October 2015 to 09 December 2015.
In addition, COMELEC-OFOV has also simplified the process of the Application for Reactivation for overseas voters (OVF No. 1G) by allowing the filing by either:
- Sending a copy of the duly accomplished OVF No. 1G via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or through facsimile to (0632) 521-29-52; or
- Personally or through mail at the nearest Embassy, Consulate, Mission, MECO or at the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) in COMELEC, Manila.
The form for Application for Reactivation is available at any Embassy, Consulate, Mission, MECO or may be downloaded from the COMELEC and DFA-OVS websites. REACTIVATE NOW! END