13 May 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Wellington commenced the registration of qualified Filipino overseas voters on May 6 for the 9 May 2016 Presidential Election. The Embassy welcomed the first registrant, Dr. Cecilia F. Aquino, who is based in Auckland but currently staying in Wellington for official business. Dr. Aquino is the Academic Manager/Principal of AWI International Education Group, Director of MAC PHILS Consulting Limited, and Trustee of NZ-SCOT Charitable Trust. She said it has been a few years since she last voted back in the Philippines and is very much pleased to be able to participate once again in the process and exercise her right of suffrage even when she is overseas.

Immigrants, dual citizens, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), seafarers, students, and other qualified Filipinos who are or who will be in New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Cook Islands during the 30-day voting period (9 April 2016 to 9 May 2016), may now file their applications for registration/certification at the Philippine Embassy in Wellington or at the mobile consular services outreach missions scheduled in their areas during the registration period which runs until 31 October 2015.

The Philippine Embassy continuously encourages Filipinos in New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands to register and exercise their right to suffrage in this significant democratic process that charts and determines the Philippines’ future by electing the next leaders of the country.

Information on how to register as an overseas voter in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Cook Islands can be found in Philippine Embassy’s website (www.philembassy.org.nz). END