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.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other Filipino migrants can participate in the Philippine elections even if they are not in the Philippines during election time thru the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) law.

The Commission on Elections – Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting has scheduled the conduct of Overseas Absentee Registration from October 31,2011 to October 31,2012.

For more inquiries you can contact the Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) at:

6th Floor South Wing, Department of Foreign Affairs Building, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines

phone:(632) 834-4361, 632) 834-3275
fax 632) 833-0914, (632) 833-0915

Website : www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph

Filipinos who are working and living abroad and have registered for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) only have a month to ponder on who to give their votes to. This is because the automated election for the 589,830 registrants is set to start on April 10. Read more.