08 May 2014- The Overseas Voting Training for Registration/Certification of Overseas Voters in Europe and Israel was successfully held at the Ergife Palace Hotel, Rome, Italy from April 30 to May 2.

The training was in preparation for the May 6, 2014 – October 31, 2015 registration/certification period for the 2016 Presidential Elections.

The Philippine Embassy in Rome, under Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr., hosted the three-day event.

Sixty three (63) participants from 21 Philippine Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) attended the training led by Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis, Chairman of the Department of Foreign Affairs – Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA - OVS) and Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Al Parreño.

COMELEC Directors Jose M. Tolentino, Bartolome J. Sinocruz, Jr., Ferdinand de Leon and Atty. Emilio Marañon oriented and trained the participants on the procedure for registration/certification of overseas voters in accordance with the Overseas Voting Act of 2013.

Individual targets were assigned to each FSP and DFA-OVS and COMELEC committed to give all the necessary support to help achieve the at least 200,000 target of new overseas voter registrants in the region. END