Comelec chairperson George Garcia (PNA file photo)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is hopeful of getting some 2 million new overseas voters as it ramps up voter registration activities for Filipinos abroad.
This is in addition to the current 1 million registered overseas voters, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said at the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Commission’s Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Rotary Club International District 3810, and the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen's Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) at the Comelec main office in Manila.
The poll body chief said in the May 2022 elections, there were 1.697 million registered overseas voters and only 40.59 percent participated in the polls.
“Only almost 600,000 ang bumoto (cast their votes). Of the number, some 600,000 have been deactivated. Yung 1 million hopefully tumaas (Hopefully, the 1 million new voters would increase),” he added.
The voter registration will run until Sept. 30, 2024.
At the same time, Garcia reiterated that the internet voting will be implemented in the next national polls despite the absence of a law.
“Ang interpretation ng Comelec in-authorized kami ng batas to venture on other mode of voting kasama po ang internet voting dyan. Basta kailangan magrereport sa Congress on the update of the process nitong pangatlong (The Comelec's interpretation is that we are allowed by law to venture on other modes of voting, including internet voting. We only need to report to Congress on the update of the third) voting process,” he added.
Garcia also welcomed the signing of the agreement with stakeholders, noting that holding poll exercises is not only the responsibility of the poll body but everyone.
Aside from internet voting, voters overseas may cast their votes in embassies/consulates of countries they are living/working and mail voting.
Overseas voters can only choose national candidates or president, vice president, senators and party-list representative.
Garcia also expressed hope that there would be no challenges to their plan to conduct internet voting before the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Garcia admitted that former spokesperson James Jimenez paid a visit to the poll body and has expressed willingness to return, if given the chance.
However, he said there are no vacant top positions at the Comelec as of this time.
Jimenez was present during the signing of the MOA, representing the Rotary Club International District 3810.
The former poll body official retired in September 2022, after being implicated in the fiasco that affected the presidential and vice presidential debates organized by the Comelec.
The Comelec has yet to release the findings of the investigating body on the controversy.
However, Garcia said he will follow up on the resolution of the case since it is a “hanging issue that needs to be resolved.” (PNA)
