04 August 2014 - The Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS), announced today, August 04, that it has recommended to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) the immediate suspension of overseas voters registration in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, and the Gaza Strip, in view of the deteriorating security situation in these areas.

The recommendation was finalized after consultations with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the concerned Foreign Service Posts.

Despite the recommended suspension of overseas voters registration activities at the various hotspots, DFA-OVS is confident that the goal of registering one million new overseas voters for the 2016 Presidential elections is attainable. The DFA-OVS, together with the COMELEC, has set an ambitious but statistically attainable goal within the registration period covering 06 May 2014 until 31 October 2015.

Last June, for the first time in the eleven-year electoral history of Philippine overseas voting, overseas voters registration (OVR) breached the one million mark. The Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) processed 20,039 new OVR applications. This is a 7.5% increase over the record breaking performance (18,631) of last May, bringing the two-month total to 38,670. When added to the existing accumulated overseas voter stock of 975,263, the one million registered overseas voter mark is broken by the total of 1,013,933 for the first time since the start of Philippine overseas voting eleven years ago. 

“The preparations by the Department and the Commission on Elections led to a successful start of the registration process,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said in a letter.

“The challenge for overseas voters registration is to maintain the momentum by keeping the overseas Filipinos interested and engaged in this democratic process,” the Secretary further said.

Also in June, the first Overseas Voter Registration Center (OVRC) in the Philippines, for this election cycle, was opened at the Office of Consular Affairs (OCA), Macapagal Avenue, ASEANA Business Park. Last August 01, the second Overseas Voter Registration Center (OVRC) was launched at the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), 1345 Pres. Quirino Ave., Paco, Manila.

“At the current pace of registration, we could have an overseas voter stock of over two million for the 2016 Presidential elections. Attaining this goal can definitely be a game changer,” DFA Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns and DFA-OVS Chairman Rafael E. Seguis said.

All Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad during the thirty day (09 April – 09 May 2016) overseas voting period for the 2016 presidential elections, at least 18 years old on 09 May 2016, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register as an overseas voter, at all Philippine Foreign Service Posts including the three (3) Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECO), Office of Consular Affairs, Macapagal Ave., ASEANA Business Park, and at other COMELEC approved registration centers within or outside the Philippines. An updated list of registration centers may be viewed on www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph orwww.comelec.gov.ph. END