PH Embassy in Kuwait Sets Overseas Voting Milestone on Labor Day

KUWAIT 10 May 2019 – The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait announced during the celebration of the Labor Day on 01 May 2019 that after three weeks since the start of Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) on 13 April 2019, voter turnout has exceeded the 8,000 mark.

With a total of 8,516 votes, the 2019 current voter-turnout set a new milestone in Kuwait’s overseas voting history, as it surpassed the voter-turnout in the 2007 (2,517) and 2013 (3,203) Senatorial and Party-List Elections.

Carrying the momentum from the past 2016 Presidential Elections, the Embassy’s current figures even surpassed the voter-turnout in the 2010 Presidential Elections (5,259), debunking the notion that a mid-term election draws less interest from Filipinos in Kuwait.

The Embassy had a flag raising ceremony, where the Labor Day message of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was delivered by Chargé d’ Affaires (CDA), a.i. Mohd. Noordin Pendosina N. Lomondot. The ceremony  was attended by various Filipino organizations, media partners, bloggers/vloggers, as well as Filipinos who came to the Embassy to vote.

CDA Lomondot informed the audience that Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon has acknowledged the Embassy’s  efforts in breaching the 8,000 mark. The event was then followed by the “Almusal ng Bayan” for everyone.

“This day, I join all Filipino workers here in Kuwait, in the Philippines and around the globe as we mark Labor Day. I commend them for their invaluable contributions to the Philippine economy thru their remittances to their families back home. A true sense of economic empowerment.” said CDA Lomondot.

“And as we can see, Filipinos come in droves to exercise their right of suffrage. They are clearly taking advantage of this chance to be politically empowered, for them to choose who will manage their invaluable economic contributions to the Philippines and also who will build and lead our country in the years to come,” he added.

The Embassy continues to intensify its overseas voting omni-media campaign, utilizing all possible platforms and avenues to disseminate overseas voting information to continually increase the number of Filipinos exercising their right of suffrage.

The Embassy’s COMELEC-deputized officers and staff continues to encourage the voters after casting their ballots to inform their relatives, friends, and loved ones to visit the Embassy and vote. Regular appeal and OAV information dissemination to Filipino clients at the consular section as well as the assistance to nationals section are being done as part of the OAV omni-campaign. Filipino community organizations have also pledged support to the Embassy’s efforts by encouraging their members to go to the Embassy and vote, creating a multiplier effect that increases overseas voting awareness.

The Embassy will be open for overseas voting everyday, including weekends and holidays, 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

“Kuwait Phil Embassy estimates 8,000 voters have voted, most of them women. Good job Kuwait” COMELEC Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon tweeted.

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