Comelec approves online voter registration piloting for OFWs

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) approved the piloting of the iRehistro Project, an internet-enabled system for overseas voter registration, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced.

 

The Philippine Embassy in Madrid, Spain will run the initial implementation for 30 days starting on the first week of November 2014.

 

If found viable, the embassy will submit a report and recommendation of the iRehisto Project. Philippine Foreign Service Posts may then request to be included in the project.

 

Overseas voter registration accelerated last September, reaching a monthly total of 42,482. The tally for previous months were 18,670 for May; 20,836 for June; 24,366 for July and 38,945 for August, garnering a total of 145,299 new registrants for the past five months.

 

"At the current pace of registration, we could have an overseas voter stock of over two million for the 2016 Presidential elections. Attaining this goal can definitely be a game changer," DFA Undersecretary for Civilian and Consular Concerns Rafael Seguis said.

 

The breakdown of September registrants per region is as follows:

 

 

Region	Registrants
Middle East and Africa	19,423
Americas	9,380
Europe	4,234
Asia Pacific	4,567
Top Ten
Riyadh	6,055
Abu Dhabi	4,027
Dubai	3,711
Los Angeles	2,407
Jeddah	2,390
San Francisco	1,655
Singapore	1,485
Toronto	1,323
Vancouver	1,181
Rome	1,049

 

"The challenge for [online voter] registration is to maintain the momentum by keeping the overseas Filipinos interested and engaged in this democratic process," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said.

 

According to the DFA, all Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad during the thirty day (09 April – 09 May 2016) overseas voting period for the 2016 presidential elections, at least 18 years old on May 9, 2016, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register as an overseas voter, at all Philippine Foreign Service Posts including the three Manila Economic and Cultural Offices, Office of Consular Affairs, Macapagal Ave., ASEANA Business Park, Commission on Filipinos Overseas, 1345 Pres. Quirino Ave., Paco, Manila and at other COMELEC approved registration centers within or outside the Philippines.