11 April 2016 - Led by Consul General Marichu Mauro, the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Milan were among the first to cast their votes for the 2016 National Elections as the 30-day overseas voting period commenced today.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has designated a Mixed Mode of Voting for Milan, Italy, which means that voters from the Northern Italy can either cast their vote personally at the Consulate General or opt to receive their ballots by mail which they can either mail back or personally deliver their accomplished ballots to the Consulate General.

The voting process will be automated with the new Vote Counting Machines (VCM) being put to use at the Consulate.

PCG Milan will also be conducting field voting to reach as many registered voters in the outlying regions of Northern Italy. The first will be held in Turin, to cover the Piemonte Region of Italy on April 10. Field voting will also be conducted in the regions of Emilia Romagna and Veneto in the succeeding weeks.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras expressed his confidence in overseas Filipinos to avail of the opportunity to play a huge role in strengthening Philippine democracy by exercising their right to vote, in a statement issued on the eve of the start of the overseas voting period. The overseas voting period ends at 1700H on May 09 Philippine time. There are 32,075 registered overseas voters in Milan and Northern Italy.  END