13 May 2016 – The Certificate of Canvass accounting for 49,671 votes from the 209 clustered precincts in the United States of America and Caribbean island-nations was transmitted to the National Board of Canvassers in the Philippines two days after voting closed on 09 May.

“I am deeply grateful to all Filipino voters in the United States and Caribbean territories who participated in this election. Voting is a right and a duty. By exercising their right to vote, these overseas voters contributed in further strengthening our democracy,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said in a statement after he witnessed the shutdown of the Canvassing and Consolidation System on May 11.

The envoy also expressed gratitude to the personnel of the Philippine Embassy and Consulates General in the United States, and to the Philippine Honorary Consuls in the Caribbean, for ably fulfilling their mandate under the Overseas Voting Law.

“With much appreciation, I also wish to acknowledge the officers and staff of the Embassy and the attached agencies, and the Consulates in the US and the Caribbean for all they have done to make this exercise a success. At every stage of the process – from registration and packaging of ballots to receiving and counting of votes – our people went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure maximum voter participation and compliance with election rules and regulations,” the Ambassador stated.

“Credit must also go to the COMELEC and the DFA-Overseas Voting Secretariat for supporting and guiding the Philippine Foreign Service Posts throughout this process,” Ambassador Cuisia added.

There were more Filipino voters in the U.S. and the Caribbean who cast their ballots this year than in 2010 and 2013. Overseas voting reached a historic high with the participation of more than 1.3 million overseas Filipino voters this election period.

“The vibrancy and maturity of our democratic system were reaffirmed by this election, which, by all accounts, was generally peaceful, orderly and fair. We offer our best wishes to the newly elected government leaders with the hope that our country continues its march towards progress that will benefit all Filipinos,” Ambassador Cuisia said. END