PH Consulate General in San Francisco Hosts Training on Automated Election System for Overseas Voting

Consul General to San Francsico Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. delivers his welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the On-site Regional Training on Automated Election System for Overseas Voting on 03 April 2019 at Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center, San Francisco. (San Francisco PCG photo)

SAN FRANCISCO  17 April 2019 – In preparation for the 2019 Senatorial and Party List Elections for overseas voters, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco hosted the On-Site Regional Training on the Implementation of Automated Election System (AES) for Overseas Voting on 3-5 April 2019 at the Philippine Center in San Francisco.

Personnel from various Consulates General in Calgary, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver, attended the training aimed at  preparing the members of the electoral boards for the conduct of the national elections from 13 April to 13 May 2019. Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officials, headed by Commissioner Socorro B. Inting, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Director Jose Patalinhug, Jr. conducted the on-site training.

Consul General to San Francsico Henry S. Bensurto Jr. welcomed the participants and officials, and highlight the importance of the electoral duties, noting that the process will enable Filipinos abroad to participate in nation-building. Consul General Bensurto also invited the delegates and officials to help spread the “Spark*Connect*Empower” movement as a means to urge Filipinos abroad to reconnect to their rich heritage and participate in activities that promote the country’s national interests.

Commissioner Inting stressed the partnership and cooperation between COMELEC and the Department of Foreign Affairs in ensuring successful elections through the years. Commissioner Inting assured the participants of COMELEC’s continued support on the conduct of elections.

The training consisted of discussions on the manner of implementing automated voting and counting of votes, technical instructions on how to operate the vote counting machines, and written and practical tests required of members of the electoral boards to complete. At the closing ceremony, COMELEC Director Teopisto Elnas, Jr. declared that all participants passed the written and practical tests administered by DOST. 

Consulates in Calgary, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver will adopt postal voting wherein voters will cast their ballots by mail with option to personally deliver their accomplished ballots to their respective Consulates General.

Overseas voters have until 13 May 2019 at 6:00 p.m. (Philippine time) or until 3:00 a.m. of 13 May 2019 (San Francisco local time) to send their ballots. A list of registered voters is available at the following link:  https://sparkconnectempower.com/news-events/overseas-voting-advisory/ . END

COMELEC Commissioner Socorro B. Inting delivers her remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the On-Site Regional Training on Automated Election System for Overseas Voting. (San Francisco PCG photo)

COMELEC Director Teopisto Elnas, Jr. provides the overview of the training and expectations for the participants. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Participants from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco receive their Certificates of Completion from Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr., COMELEC Director Teopisto Elnas, Jr., and DOST Director Jose Patalinhug, Jr. (San Francisco PCG photo)

For more information, visit www.sanfranciscopcg.dfa.gov.ph,  www.philippinessanfrancisco.org  or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/.