MANILA, Feb 16 – The Commission on Elections’ Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) is urging the 205,697 voters, who were deactivated after the May 2016 polls for failure to vote in two consecutive national elections, to reactivate their registration status simply by proceeding to the embassy or consulate in the country where they are based, or the OFOV in Comelec Intramuros or their local Comelec office if they are currently in the Philippines.
Overseas Filipinos whose status are deactivated must reactivate in order to participate in the 2019 midterm elections. The registration period for Filipinos overseas resumed last December 1, 2016, and will end on September 30, 2018.
Section 39 of Comelec Resolution 10167 states that any Registered overseas voter whose registration record had been deactivated, not later than September 30, 2018, may file with the OFOV, the Post concerned or the Local Field Registration Center, a sworn application for reactivation of registration record (OVF No. 1G) stating that the grounds for the deactivation no longer exist.
Based on Comelec data as of October 17, 2016, 58,992 of the deactivated voters are land-based while 146,705 are seafarers.
“We would like to ensure that every Filipino who is qualified to vote, whether or not they are in the country, is given representation in the strengthening of democracy through the holding of inclusive elections,” said Commissioner Arthur Lim, head of the OFOV.
The Commission is ready to receive one million overseas absentee registrants, which would bring the total number of registered voters at 2.3 million. There was a total of 1,376,067 registered OAV in the May 9, 2016, National and Local Elections.(COMELEC)
