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Sectoral OFW group steps up OAV registration campaign; urges other groups to help
Saturday, July 21, 2012 2:25
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Press Release
21 July 2012
Reference:
Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson
Migrante Sectoral Party
Mobile No. 09336503487
161,000 new Overseas Absentee voters, a dismal number
Sectoral OFW group steps up OAV registration campaign; urges other groups to help
According to overseas Filipino workers’ sectoral group, the 161,153 new overseas absentee voters (OAV) who have registered as of the 1st of July per the recent information released by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is a dismal number in relation to the numbers of about 12-M overseas Filipinos abroad, thus it says they will step up the campaign for OAV registration.
“Obviously, the 161 thousand plus new overseas absentee voters comprised a small percentage of the total numbers of Overseas Filipinos abroad considering that the OAV system is not new and have been a component of the Philippine electoral exercises for more than a decade since the passage of the OAV law,” said Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP).
Bragas-Regalado added, “We don’t even know how many, out of the 161 thousands new registrants, will actually cast their votes. 60%? 30%? or a dismal 10%?”
MSP obtained and summarizes the data showing the dismal OAV registrants and turnout of actual votes casted since the approval of OAV law on February 2003.
Year Registered voters Actually voted Percentage %
2004 359,296
2007 504,124
2010 585,830
Budget Allocation
2004 P300,000,000
2007 238,421,000
2010 188,086,000
2012 (OAV) – P43 M, but only P7M is allocated for OAV registration.
2007 238,421,000
2010 188,086,000
2012 (OAV) – P43 M, but only P7M is allocated for OAV registration.
Based on the recent DFA reports, topping the most number of registered overseas Filipinos are those from countries hosting big numbers of Pinoys such as Los Angeles, California; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Kuwait; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Milan, Italy; San Francisco, California; Tel Aviv, Israel; Singapore; Hong Kong; and Rome, Italy.
Regalado said she is not surprised that as per region, those from the Middle East and Africa got a good number of new OAVs compared to other regions. “This is mainly due to our consistent OAV campaign education and information dissemination efforts on that region,” she added.
Bragas-Regalado, however, added that OAV campaign education and information dissemination efforts must be joined with various support mechanisms that would make the OAV registrations abroad more accessible and convenient to Filipinos especially the majority of OFWs given the inherent limitations that esteemed from the nature of their jobs and the restrictions imposed by host governments in the conduct of elections.
“Setting up of mobile registration, just like the concept of consular services on-wheel, is an example. Mobile registrations will reach out those OFWs who are far away from the Philippine Embassies and consular offices abroad,” she explained.
Bragas-Regalado said her group is also urging the COMELEC to study the concept of online or internet-based OAV registration. “This will hasten the process and solve the common difficulties encountered by most of the OFWs which is accessibility to designated registration centers.”
But when it comes to casting of votes, Bragas-Regalado said security features must be in placed if an online or internet-based election will be adopted. “Tight security measures are needed to uphold the sanctity and integrity of the OAV elections abroad.”
Migrante chapters not only in the Middle East but also in other parts of the world, Bragas-Regalado added, were told to step up OAV registration education and information dissemination activities.
“Migrante chapters abroad will specifically distribute OAV posters (sample attached) urging our fellow OFWs to register. We will continue to initiate and holding discussions with other OFW groups and the Filipino leaders, and will urge them to help us as well,” Bragas-Regalado ended.
The OAV registration that started on October 31, 2011 will be ending this October 31, with 3 months remaining duration. # # #
Read more at Migrante-Middle East
Source:
