Thousands of Filipinos in Kuwait Show Solidarity in Strengthening PH Democracy

KUWAIT 26 April 2019 – The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait announced that after a week since the start of Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) on 13 April 2019, voter turnout has bridged the 3,000 mark as the Embassy received more than 3,300 votes as of 20 April 2019.

The high voter turnout is a sign that the patriotic side of Filipinos in Kuwait has been awakened, their eagerness to participate in this electoral exercise further proving this theory, with some Filipinos rushing to the Embassy as early as 6:00 a.m. to cast their votes. The Embassy’s Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-deputized personnel always encourage the voters to inform their relatives, and friends to visit the Embassy to exercise their right of suffrage.

Before the start of the OAV exercise, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. appealed to overseas Filipinos around the world in a video statement and said, “The aim of overseas voting is to return the electoral power to those who give sweat and tears for the security of their families and the progress of our nation. We need more of you to vote.” Secretary Locsin was the principal author of the Overseas Voting Act and also its chief proponent in Congress.

To reach out to a larger member of Filipinos in Kuwait, the Embassy tapped its media partners, like GMA Network, ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel, UNTV and Kuwait-based Pinoy Arabia among others, as well as print media partners like The Times News, The Arab Times, and Kuwait Times. Bloggers/vloggers like “OFW si Bes” have also supported the Embassy’s omni-media campaign.

“I appeal to my fellow Kababayans to exercise their right of suffrage. Their enthusiasm in coming to the Embassy as early as 6:00 a.m. to vote is a good sign.This shows the patriotism of Filipinos here in Kuwait, that despite of being miles away from our country, they still want to have a voice and reshape the political landscape of the Philippines,” said Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i. Mohd. Noordin Pendosina N. Lomondot.

All over cyberspace via various social networking pages, the Embassy continues to carry DFA-OVS and COMELEC’s battle cry and slogan throughout this election period: “Let’s strengthen our democracy. It’s our right and duty. LET’S ALL VOTE!’ (Patibayin ang ating demokrasya. Ating karapatan at katungkulan. BUMOTO TAYONG LAHAT!).

The Embassy will be open for overseas voting every day until 12 May 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on 13 May 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. END

For more information, visit www.kuwaitpe.dfa.gov.ph, www.philembassykuwait.gov.kw or https://www.facebook.com/PEinKuwait/ or https://twitter.com/PHinKuwait