23 May 2014 – The Philippine Consulate General in New York hosted 48 participants from various Philippine Foreign Service Posts in North and South America in training for the resumption of continuing registration of qualified overseas Filipino voters for the 2016 presidential elections.
Several facilitators and trainors from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), led by Commissioner Lucenito Tagle and Luie Tito Guia, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), headed by Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) Vice-Chair Edgardo Castro, arrived in New York City for the training held from April 28 to 30 at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel.
Philippine Consul General in New York Mario De Leon, Jr. welcomed the COMELEC and DFA-OVS officials who were on hand to lend their support and expertise to the participants as well as assist the Consulate General in logistical preparations to ensure the smooth conduct of training. The emphasis of the training was in handling and operating the voters registration machines (VRMs) and the introduction of the newly-created Resident Election Registration Board (RERB) in each of the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General in the Americas.
In his welcome remarks, Consul General De Leon noted that it had been ten years since overseas absentee voting, now referred to as overseas vVoting (OV), was introduced, paving the way for overseas Filipinos to exercise their right to vote while living abroad. He said that the Foreign Service Posts continue to rely on the leadership of DFA and COMELEC to ensure that the voting exercise is transparent and the results are above question.
The training was composed of three modules spread out in three training days that focused on hands-on operation of VRMs and introduction of a RERB. The RERB will have the authority to approve or disapprove a registration application based on the provisions of the new Overseas Voting law or RA 10590. The new law also removes the Affidavit of Intent to Return as a requirement, which in the past discouraged permanent residents and green card holders in the United States to register as overseas voters.
During a targeting exercise on the last day of training, Mr. Castro announced the registration targets for the various Embassies and Consulates General based on their previous performance and the number of Filipinos residing in their areas of jurisdiction. The DFA-OVS expressed confidence in the capabilities of all Philippine Foreign Service Posts to meet their targets within 18 months or upon closing of the registraiton on October 31, 2015.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner Tagle congratulated all participants and acknowledged the role of the Philippine Foreign Service in the success of overseas voting registration and the overseas voting since these exercises started in 2004. He said this was due to the close cooperation between COMELEC and the DFA.
Consul General De Leon graced the graduation ceremonies on April 30. He acknowledged the men and women of the Philippine Foreign Service for their significant role in empowering Filipinos abroad and providing equal opportunities to qualified Filipinos who wish to exercise their right to vote.
The overseas voters registration officially started worldwide last May 6. The Consulate general works daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to process registration. Qualified Filipinos are advised to bring their valid Philippine passports when applying for registration. END
