20 August 2015 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) announced on August 19 that with a little over two months left before the deadline of the voter registration period, overseas voters (OV) registration has surpassed the six hundred thousand mark with a total of 600,823 new OV registrants.

Broken down by region, the Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) processed 249,512 new OV registrants from the Middle East and Africa; 123,993 from the Americas; 68,124 from the European FSPs; and 91,088 from Asia and the Pacific; while the Overseas Voter Registration Centers (OVRCs) in the Philippines contributed 68,106.

Last July, six OVRCs in the Philippines were opened at the DFA’s Regional Consular Offices in Davao, Cebu and San Fernando Pampanga and also at the DFA’s Satellite Offices at Robinson’s Galleria, SM Manila and Ali Mall, in addition to the nine OVRCs that have already been processing applications for registration/certification for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), immigrants, seafarers, and students who are about leave for abroad, and who are not yet registered as overseas voters.

Last June, the iREHISTRO online system that provides another way of accomplishing forms for voter registration-related process went global. Overseas Filipinos in the Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa now have the option of filling up the forms from the comfort of their homes, workplace, internet café, or anywhere they have access to a reliable internet connection. The optional appointment feature of the system allows for better time management since it provides them an easy way to schedule their personal appearance at the Embassy, Consulate, Mission or mobile/field registration site.

iREHISTRO applicants still have to appear personally at FSPs or mobile/field registration sites, to sign and submit their duly accomplished printed form, and for biometrics capturing. In addition, the processed applications still have to be approved by the Resident Election Registration Board (RERB).

“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 said.

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

“At the current pace of registration, the 2016 Presidential elections will be the first to have over a million active registered overseas voters. Attaining this goal can definitely be a game changer,” Office of Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis, who is concurrently Chairman of DFA-OVS, said.

All Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad during the 30-day overseas voting period from April 09 to May 09 for the 2016 Presidential Elections, at least 18 years old on 09 May 2016, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may personally register as an overseas voter at all FSPs, including the three Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECO), 15 OVRCs in the Philippines and at other COMELEC-approved field/mobile registration centers. For an updated list, please go to www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph or www.comelec.gov.ph.

Overseas Filipinos in the Asia Pacific (except China and Taiwan), Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa region may now go to irehistro.comelec.gov.ph/ov to access the iREHISTRO online system to register as an overseas voter.

We encourage everyone to register now. Voter registration period ends on 31 October 2015. END