OFW POSTAL VOTING

IMPROVED OVERSEAS POSTAL VOTING The collaboration of Commission of Elections Overseas Absentee Voting Committee (Comelec-OAV), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) ensures that the ballots of the registered Overseas Absentee Voters are properly delivered and received on time. Postal voting in 2003 and 2007 elections resulted in “dismal” level because a large number of mailed-out ballots was returned to sender since many global Filipinos had moved to new addresses. Moreover, many of the mailed blank ballots reached their destinations very late. A recent sampling of those whose voter IDs could not be delivered show that at least 16% of the addresses in the roll are no longer current. This led to disenfranchisement of votes of Global Filipinos. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed Feb 2, 2010 significantly changes the course of overseas voting. Turn out of overseas votes for May 2010 elections will significantly increase. A Mailing Center for OAVs provided by PhilPost operationalizes the cooperation. The Mailing Center , manned by Comelec personnel on a 3-shift basis with 11 persons per shift, packs and organizes the ballots. The Voter’s ballot will be sent to the address of the OAV registered voter directly. To ensure proper receipt of voter’s ballot, the mailed ballot will be left at the addressee’s residence or workplace even if the addressee is not around. Some ballots will be sent to the Consulates in bulk. Forty-nine (49) Consular posts with a total of 138,113 registered OAV voters agreed to postal voting mode. Philpost is linked to the postal systems of 190 other member-countries of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) under the United Nations. On Feb. 10, 2010, Comelec-OAV encourages all political parties’ representatives and members of civil society groups and other concerned groups to witness the packing of the individual ballots to be sent. Global Filipino Nation (GFN) calls on all OAV registered voters to be vigilant and vote. Voting period starts on April 10-May10, 2010. All queries regarding your mailed ballots may be addressed to your consular post. email from CONNIE GOMEZ