The Philippine Online Chronicles

Voting can be one of the most essential roles a citizen can play in his own country. From critically observing who deserves to be the leader of the country to solely deciding whom to select among the many choices—all are in the hands of every voter. In the Philippines, one of the vital duties of the state is to provide an orderly system where Filipinos can exercise their right to vote not just here but also when abroad; and this is what absentee voting is all about. This is by virtue of Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.

Absentee voting is a process in which a qualified citizen of the Philippines takes part in an election but is not capable of going personally and putting his vote inside a ballot box of a polling office or station where he is registered due to the demands of work or any appointment in a foreign state. In short, absentee voting is simply “voting despite absence”. Today, as the number of Overseas Filipino Workers increase so does the number of absentee voters. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat, the number of registrants could reach 600,000 OFWs, although it is actually aiming for 1 million voters from around the world.

However this does not generally mean that if a Filipino citizen goes abroad, he is automatically registered as an absentee voter.

There are several requirements (which are not so hard to fulfill) to become a registered absentee voter.

1. One must be a registered voter under the Election Registration Board of the municipality where he resides before departing from the country or with the representative under the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), consulates and other foreign service establishment that has jurisdiction over the locality where they temporarily dwell. Hence, registration must be done personally.

2. One must be a holder of a valid Philippine passport. If a valid passport is absent, a certification from the DFA is considered as long as it has reviewed the appropriate documents submitted and found them sufficient to warrant the issuance of a passport, or the applicant is a holder of a valid passport but is not able to produce the same for a valid reason.

3. One must accomplish the Registration Form prescribed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) containing the following mandatory information:

• Last known residence of the applicant in the Philippines before leaving for abroad

• Address of applicant abroad, or forwarding address for seafarers

• Where voting by mail is allowed, the applicant's mailing address outside the Philippines where the ballot for absentee voters will be sent (in proper cases)

• Name and address of applicant's authorized representative in the Philippines.

The overseas absentee voter must personally carry his ballot to the embassy, consulate or other foreign service establishment that has jurisdiction over the country where he temporarily resides or at any polling station designated and accredited by the COMELEC.

Voting by mail is also possible if it complies with the following conditions:

1. The mailing system is fairly well-developed and secured to prevent the occasion of fraud.

2. Existence of a technically established identification system that would prohibit multiple or proxy voting. Proxy voting is a procedure wherein one voting body give power to other member to vote in his/her part.

3. The system of reception as well as the custody of mailed ballots in the embassies and other foreign service establishments concerned is adequate and secured.

The Department of Foreign Affairs had instructed all embassies, consulates, and other posts abroad to accept applications for registration. Through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, it had also asked foreign employers to allow their Filipino employees to register at the mentioned DFA offices in their host countries. The aim was to ensure the most number of OFW voters before August 31, 2009, which is the deadline for absentee voters’ registration for the 2010 national elections. But in case a voter still needs to change his/her address, they still have until October 31, 2009. You can also visit the COMELEC website, which might answer some of your questions about your registration, request for change of address or any matters you need to know about the upcoming election.

Months before the deadline, certain consulates and embassies also launched mobile registration so that they could reach out to Filipino OFWs in their distant workplaces and temporary addresses. However, RA 9189 has mandated the COMELEC to makes use of procedures that will continually allow Filipino citizens abroad to register for the coming elections after 2010.

Indeed, no vote is unimportant but rather, every pick counts. Now voting is not anymore limited to residents living in the country. Through absentee voting, every Filipino can have the chance to exercise his privilege in choosing the right leader for the country.

If you were not able to register for the 2010 elections, don’t stop there. There is no stopping you fro registering for the next elections so you can exercise your right to vote. And yes, VOTE WISELY.

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