OFW group asks for automation of absentee voting

By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: May 22, 2008


MANILA, Philippines -- An organization of overseas Filipinos has called on the Commission on Elections to prioritize the automation of the country's overseas absentee voting (OAV) system.
The International Coalition for the Overseas Filipinos' Voting Rights met with Comelec Chairman Jose Melo and Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Romeo Brawner, Muslimin Macarambon and Nicodemo Ferrer Wednesday to inquire whether OAV automation was on the poll body's agenda.

“The idea for an automated OAV is to make it easier for voters to participate. It would ensure a greater turnout and assure the verifiability of absentee voters,” Ellene Sana, executive director of the Quezon City-based Center for Migrants Affairs, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview.

Sana was accompanied by coalition members, overseas Filipino community leaders and OAV advocates to the meeting.

She said that during the gathering, there were varying opinions on whether OAV should be targeted for automation in 2010 due to “many considerations,” among them the cost.

Sana, however, said the automation of the OAV was important as it was provided for by Republic Act No. 9369 or the Automated Election Systems Act of 2007.

She said the coalition would be reviewing the viability of the Internet voting mechanism pilot-tested for Filipino absentee voters in Singapore last year.

“A great concern of many Filipinos abroad is traveling so far just to register and vote. Personal voting is very limiting,” she said.

She said although the voting by mail for absentee voters was authorized by Comelec in the previous elections, many were still unable to vote because they changed addresses. Only a few of the 250,000 Filipino seafarers were able to cast ballots.

In the 2007 elections, there were about 504,000 absentee voters registered in 156 countries. Less than 20 percent of the registered voters participated in the polls.

The number of absentee voters was a mere fraction of the estimated 10 million overseas Filipinos, most of whom are migrant workers.

Sana said Sarmiento proposed that the coalition submit a position paper on OAV automation.

Last Tuesday, Comelec promulgated Resolution No. 8458 providing for the general instructions for the resumption of continuing registration for OAV for 2010 beginning December 1, this year to August 31, 2009.

Also during the meeting, Rino Paez, a representative of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, a government agency that takes care of Filipino immigrants and permanent residents, also presented a plan before Comelec on the setting up of OAV registration desks in CFO offices here and abroad.