13 June 2014 - The Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS), released today the tally for the first month of overseas voter (OV) registration in preparation for the 2016 Presidential Elections.

For the month of May, 2014, Philippine Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) processed a total of 18,631 new overseas voter registrant applications. This figure is 111% higher than (8,819) the first month of overseas voter registration for the 2013 Senatorial Elections; 64% more than (11,397) the 2010 Presidential Elections; and more than 630% greater (2,543) than the 2007 Senatorial Elections.

If the Foreign Service continues to outperform itself at this pace, despite existing challenges, the ambitious goal set by the DFA-OVS and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to gather one (1) million new overseas voter registrants, by the end of this registration cycle on October 31, 2015, is attainable. The total registered overseas voter stock accumulated during the previous registration periods stands at 975,263.

DFA-OVS is also closely coordinating with the COMELEC with regard to the possible upgrading of voter registration equipment to further improve the registration system.

Broken down by region, the FSPs in the Middle and Africa delivered 7,301 new OV registrants, 5,186 from the Americas, the European FSPs with 3,160, and 2,984 from the Asia Pacific. The top ten performers are Riyadh (1,398), Los Angeles (1,354), Jeddah (1,136), San Francisco (1,018), Abu Dhabi (973), Singapore (903), Dubai (877), New York (848), Lisbon (731), and London (678).

All Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad during the thirty day (April 09–May 09, 2016) overseas voting period for the 2016 Presidential Elections, at least 18 years old on May 09, 2016, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register as an overseas voter, at all Philippine FSPs, the three (3) Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECO), and at COMELEC approved registration centers outside of the FSPs or in the Philippines. For an updated list of approved registration centers please go to www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph or www.comelec.gov.ph.

Attached is a copy of the tally of the new overseas voter registrants for the period covering May 06 to 31, 2014, and the top ten lists per region.  END