Remarks of the Hon. Rafael E. Seguis
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns
and Chairman of the Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat

At the Signing Ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement 
Between the Department Of Foreign Affairs, Commission On Elections and Philippine Postal Corporation  

On the Conduct of Postal Voting Abroad  

Delivered By Hon. Generoso G. Calonge,
Vice Chairman Of The Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat
Philpost Office, 6 March 2007

Honorable Commissioner Florentino A. Tuason, Jr., Assistant Post Master General Antonio Z. de Guzman, distinguished guests, representatives from the Media, fellow public servants, friends, ladies and gentlemen.  

Today, three government agencies – the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHILPOST) – will enter into an agreement entrusting the OAV ballots of overseas absentee voters to PHILPOST.  For this year's election, we have tapped the technical capability, the logistical and administrative expertise of the PHILPOST to ensure that the ballots are received complete and on time by our overseas absentee voters.  

We have high hopes that the joint effort and coordination of three government agencies to implement RA 9189 or the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 will encourage more voters to participate in the 2007 elections.  

During the 2003 National Elections, only three countries conducted the voting by mail exercise, namely, Canada , Japan and United Kingdom . Out of the total 13,670 individuals authorized to cast ballots through the postal system, there was a 44% turnout.  For this year's elections, the coverage of voting by mail has expanded to a total of 61 Embassies/Consulates including the Manila Economic Cultural Offices (MECOs) in Taiwan .  

With the expanded coverage of this mode of voting, a total 157,686 are qualified to vote. We hope that our fellow Filipinos abroad will take advantage of this opportunity to exercise their right of suffrage as voting by mail offers convenience to overseas absentee voters whose work place or residence is far from the Embassy/Consulate. With the adoption of voting by mail in 45 countries, we are optimistic that greater convenience will be afforded to Filipinos overseas in the coming elections.  END

/jay

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