How to Vote if You’re an Overseas Filipino Worker
Participating in the elections is easy when you’re in the Philippines, but what if you are living and working abroad? Can you still exercise your right to vote? The answer is yes, you certainly can! If you are an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), you can participate through overseas voting.
During national elections, Filipino citizens abroad who are registered voters can vote for national-level positions. These include the President, Vice President, Senators, and Party-List Representatives. The process is supervised by the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV), as mandated by the Philippine Overseas Voting Act (R.A. 9189, amended by R.A. 10590).
Who Can Register as a Voter?
If you are a Filipino citizen, at least 18 years old on the day of the elections, and not disqualified by law for any reason, then you can register as a voter and participate in the elections, even if you’re abroad.
Where Can I Register?
If you are in the Philippines, whether on vacation or just preparing to go abroad, you can register at the nearest Overseas Voting Local Field Registration Center of the Commission of Elections (COMELEC). To see a list of all the local field registration centers in the Philippines, please see this link: https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=OverseasVoting/Registration/FieldRegistrationCenters.
On the other hand, if you are in another country, simply go to the nearest Philippine Embassy, Consulate, or other centers that are authorized by COMELEC. To see a list of consular jurisdictions abroad, please see this link: https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=OverseasVoting/Registration/ConsularJurisdictions.
What are the Requirements?
To apply as an overseas voter, be sure to prepare the following documents:
- Filled up Application Form for Registration;
- Photocopy of Valid Passport;
- Proof of Philippine Citizenship, such as a Visa, Resident Card, Notice of Action, Oath of Allegiance, etc.; and
- Photocopy of Seaman’s Book (for seafarers).
Once you have gathered all of these documents, you will need to appear personally at the registration center for processing and biometrics capturing. Take note that for the upcoming elections (May 2022), the filing of applications for registration is between December 16, 2019 and September 30, 2021.
How is Overseas Voting Done?
Overseas voting may be done in person or via mail, depending on the place where the OFW is based. Either way, the voting period typically lasts for 30 days.
Personal voting is held in Philippine Embassies, Consulates, and other establishments that are authorized by COMELEC, such as field voting centers and mobile voting centers. Notably, the voting and counting process is done by the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI). Meanwhile, postal voting is conducted by the Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG), which distributes the ballots to registered overseas voters.
After the voting period, votes are counted (manually or though a machine) by the SBEI. Then, these are canvassed by the Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC), before being submitted to the National Board of Canvassers in the Philippines.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, overseas voting is pretty much a straightforward process. For more information about applying or registering as an overseas voter, please visit the official website of COMELEC at https://comelec.gov.ph/. For inquiries, you can also send a message to overseasvoting@comelec.gov.ph.
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