MANILA, Philippines — A group of overseas Filipinos based in Hong Kong welcomed the authorities’ decision to place additional vote counting machines (VCMs) and precincts for voters in the special administrative region.
“The prompt outcry of the vigilant members of the Filipino migrant community drew attention to the serious setbacks on the first day of voting which resulted to this positive development in overseas absentee voting in Hong Kong,” the United Filipinos in Hong Kong - Migrante (UNIFIL-Migrante) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Related Stories
The Commission on Elections on Monday approved the additional five VCMs and precincts. There are now 10 precincts for the 93,886 registered Filipino voters in Hong Kong. The precincts can allegedly serve up to 5,000 voters daily.
A group of migrant workers previously warned that the five voting precincts will not be enough to service voters in Hong Kong. Voters in Hong Kong may only cast their ballots in-person.
READ: Overseas Filipinos say lack of preparations, info may keep many from voting
“Our serious concerns were validated during the first day of voting,” UNIFIL-Migrante said, citing the long queues at the voting center and that the plan to have only five machines will result in vote disenfranchisement.
Filipinos abroad began casting their votes on Sunday. However, the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong had to ask voters to consider voting on another day after the local police force there flagged the activity due to crowding.
10,000 before weekend
The consulate previously said it logged 3,285 voters on the first day of voting at the Bayanihan Kennedy Town Center.
In an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel’s “Headstart” on Wednesday morning, Philippine Consul in Hong Kong Robert Quintin said the post is expects 10,000 voters to cast their ballots just before the weekend.
“We’re already around just a little above 6,000… as we observe the behavior as of the last two, three days, we would probably reach the 10,000-mark well before the weekend,” Quintin said.
The consul said they are expecting a higher voter turnout this year compared to the 2016 national elections, which saw a voter turnout of around 46,000.
The consulate has also called on the employers of Filipino workers to allow them to vote on weekdays to avoid crowds. UNIFIL-Migrante’s Shiela Tebia-Bonifacio said the appeal to employers would help.
“Especially with the pandemic, there’s a lot of people and there are so many in line on Sundays,” Tebia-Bonifacio said in an online message to Philstar.com on Wednesday.
Hong Kong is facing its fifth wave of COVID-19 cases and the consulate said it reached the maximum capacity allowed under pandemic protocols last Sunday.
Tebia-Bonifacio said the Hong Kong government has opened isolation facilities for those positive with COVID-19, which was helpful as non-governmental organizations have limited spaces.
RELATED: OWWA: Some Hong Kong domestic workers fired over COVID-19 have been rehired