26 May 2016 - The 2016 Philippine overseas elections in Timor-Leste officially ended on May 10 with an impressive voter turnout of 52.99%.

Philippine Ambassador to Timor-Leste Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia, who also served as the Chair of the Embassy’s Special Board of Canvassers, welcomed the positive outcome of the elections.

Ambassador Austria-Garcia said, “I commend the Filipino community in Timor-Leste for heeding the Embassy’s call to participate in nation-building by choosing the next national leaders of the Philippines. This goes to show that Filipinos in Timor-Leste are responsible and patriotic citizens.”

During the month-long elections which began on April 09, a total of 425 Filipinos out of the 802 registered overseas voters in Timor-Leste exercised their right to suffrage. This was a dramatic increase from the 31.58% voter turnout in Timor-Leste during the overseas elections held in 2013. END