Nearly 200,000 UAE Filipinos to vote online in Philippine polls

With infrastructure development as well as digitalisation among the priorities of the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Administration, 1,241,690 overseas Filipinos (OFs), certified as qualified voters by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), would now have better chances to exercise their right to suffrage.

- Mariecar Jara-Puyod

This is so as even twice delayed - from the original March 10 and March 20 - Comelec on Saturday evening, released through 77 of the 95 Philippine diplomatic and consular missions around the world, the official pre-enrolment link for the historic Internet/Online Voting (https://ov.comelec.gov.ph/enrol).

The release is relative to the month-long General/Mid-Term Elections commencing on April 13. All registered OFs, including registered mariners, tabulated in the Comelec Certified List of Overseas Voters (CLOV) dated until December 2024, would be able to cast their vote for maximum 12 senatorial candidates and one party-list representative using their respective mobile phones, personal computers or laptops until 7pm Philippine time (3pm. UAE time) of May 12.

The pre-enrolment runs until May 7. Only those in the CLOVs available over www.comelec.gov. ph can enrol and vote.

OF voters (OFVs) must have verified their CLOV enlistment. On hand must be their personal mobile phones, computers or laptops, valid Philippine passport, active email address, and active phone number.