10 March 2016 - The Philippine Consulate General in Milan held a dialogue with the Filipino community on March 03 at the Consulate, with a total of 80 leaders representing various organizations all across Milan and Northern Italy attending. Apart from Milan, communities from Bologna, Torino, Modena, Genova, Parma, Como, Bergamo and Padova were also represented.

The conduct of overseas voting led the meeting’s agenda. Updates on consular regulations and services as well as the Consulate’s proposed projects for the Filipino community were also discussed. Newly-arrived Welfare Officer and Acting Labor Attaché Ms. Jocelyn Hapal presented the Overseas Worker’s Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) projects for the year and updates on services. Social Security System (SSS) and Pag-IBIG representatives also updated the community on their respective services and new regulations.

Philippine Consul General to Milan Marichu Mauro urged everyone in attendance to vote in this year’s national elections, which will be conducted from April 09 to May 09.

“Even though we are all far away from home – we all have a role to play in the upcoming elections. We all have a voice in our national affairs, let us not waste it,” Consul General Mauro said, echoing the message of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis to all overseas Filipinos concerning the upcoming national elections, copies of which were distributed to all attendees.

The Consulate will be conducting a Mixed Mode of Voting for the national elections. Voters can either vote personally at the Consulate or opt to receive their ballot by mail, which they can either mail back the accomplished ballot or personally deliver this to the Consulate.

This process was thoroughly explained during the dialogue and the Filipino community leaders in attendance were also encouraged to disseminate this information to all their members. They were reminded to submit their requests for their election ballots if they wish to vote by mail.

The Filipino community leaders were also informed about how Filipino community organizations, NGOs, civil society organizations, and media practitioners could get officially involved in this year’s national elections. COMELEC Resolutions 10036 and 10037 were explained comprehensively and attendees were shown sample forms for accreditation.

Consul General Mauro also discussed the Consulate’s projects for the Filipino community this year, including continuing the Consulate’s efforts to bring relevant information about laws and regulations that affect their work and living conditions in Italy.

The activity is part of the Consulate’s policy of maintaining a constant dialogue with the Filipino communities in Milan and Northern Italy, as well as its advocacy of bringing the Consulate closer to the community. END