To encourage more OFWs to register for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that they are ready to give away all-expense paid trips to top tourist spots in the Philippines and gift checks through a raffle. All OFWs who will register for the coming elections will get a chance to win.

According to Velasco, the registration for the OAV started last November but only 16,070 OFWs had registered for the 2013 elections. This is a very small figure as compared to their goal of at least one million registrants from an estimated 12 million Filipinos working overseas

The Commissioner is hoping that the incentives they are offering would increase the number of registrants.

Velasco said, “Raffle prizes would include free trips to Boracay andBaguio, among other destinations, and gift checks from Duty Free Philippines. But we’re still finalizing the mechanics.”

The Comelec also plans to put up registration counters in airports so OFWs can register even before leaving.