DFA-OVS, COMELEC Prepare for Closing of Overseas Voting on 13 May 2019

In photo (from left) Atty. Catherine Fernandez (COMELEC-Office for Overseas Voting’s [OFOV]), Atty. Mark John Simondo (Office of COMELEC Commissioner Guanzon), Atty. Lilibeth Perez De Guzman (COMELEC-OFOV), Rizzajamilah San Juan (DFA-OVS Desk Coordinator for Europe), Acting Vice-Chair Edgardo Castro (DFA-OVS), Renan John Ruanes (DFA-OVS Desk Coordinator for Middle East and Africa), and Maria Perpetual Escario (DFA-OVS Desk Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific).  (DFA photo by Clark Galang)

10 May 2019 — The Department of Foreign Affairs – Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS) met with officials from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on 9 May 2019 to discuss preparations for the closing of the month-long overseas voting for the 2019 Senatorial and Party-List Elections on 13 May 2019.

DFA-OVS Acting Vice-Chair Edgardo Castro said that despite numerous challenges on the conduct and management of elections overseas, Philippine Embassies and Consulates General have pulled through, with the 2019 midterm elections having the highest voter turn-out for any Senatorial and Party List election. 

The high number of voter turnout is also due to the efforts of Embassies and Consulates General to encourage Filipinos overseas to register as voters, which was evident when the number of registered overseas voters climbed up to 1.8 million.  This record-breaking number is expected to bring the 2019 midterm elections second only to the 2016 Presidential elections, which saw the highest voter turn-out in the history of overseas voting since the Overseas Absentee Voting Act was signed into law in 2003.

The DFA-OVS is now preparing for the arrival of the Special Board of Canvassers Chairs in Manila, who will bring the actual election returns from the Philippine Embassies and Consulates after tabulating the results in their areas. END