PH Envoy: Higher Turnout in UAE Seen This Year, Canvassing Underway

Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Hjayceelyn M. Quintana (center), Chairperson of the Special Board of Canvassers, during the canvassing of the Election Returns from UAE. (Abu Dhabi PE photo)

ABU DHABI 10 May 2022 — At the closing of the 30-day Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Philippine Ambassador Hjayceelyn M. Quintana announced that a higher turnout has been registered in this year’s elections. The OAV in UAE ran from 10 April to 09 May 2022.

Globally, Dubai and Abu Dhabi consistently rank the highest and third highest, respectively, of the 1.69 million registered overseas Filipino voters.

The OAV started in 2003 after the enactment of the law known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act,” which allows overseas voters to elect in-absentia national candidates running for President, Vice President, and Senators, as well as qualified parties under the Party List system, every six years. The OAV Act also allowed voters to elect Senators and Party List representatives during midyear elections every three years.

Filipinos in UAE have actively participated in this exercise, consistently having the highest voter turnout from among all overseas voters.

“I extend my appreciation to the UAE for the assistance extended to the Philippine missions in UAE which served as the polling places for the in-person casting of votes,” said Ambassador Quintana.

The Ambassador likewise thanked the Filipino voting public for their cooperation in ensuring a safe, orderly, and peaceful elections.

Canvassing of the election returns is currently underway at the Embassy of the Philippines in Abu Dhabi which will generate the final results of the votes that were cast in UAE. END

For more information, visit https://www.abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PHinUAE/, https://twitter.com/PHinUAE or https://www.instagram.com/phinuae/.