16 March 2013 - The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS), the Commission on Elections – Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COMELEC-COAV), and the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhlPost) signed on February 14 a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the implementation of overseas postal voting for the upcoming 2013 elections.
The MOA was signed after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the re-launching of the Overseas Mailing Center by DFA-OAVS Chairman, DFA Undersecretary Jose S. Brillantes, COMELEC-COAV Chairman, Commissioner Lucenito N. Tagle, and PhlPost Postmaster General Ma. Josefina M. Dela Cruz at the Manila Central Post Office.
The MOA signing was highlighted by a ceremonial toast led by COMELEC Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. after giving the closing remarks. The COMELEC Chorale, who sang the Philippine National Anthem at the program, serenaded the attendees with a series of songs.
The MOA renews the arrangements between the three agencies on the implementation of the overseas postal voting for the purposes of the upcoming May 13 national elections.
As in the past elections, PhlPost is being tapped due to its logistical and administrative expertise on mail matters. This is to ensure that the ballots of overseas absentee voters will be received on time and will not be lost in the process.
The OV Mailing Center, the control center, which is situated at the annex building of the historic Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio, is currently operational and is now preparing the electoral ballots for global transmission to all the countries that will adopt the postal mode of voting.
A total of 51 Embassies/Consulates/Missions/Manila Economic and Cultural Offices (MECO) will be adopting postal voting that caters to a total of 255,517 qualified overseas voters.
Other modes of voting include the following:
|
MODE OF VOTING |
NUMBER OF EMBASSSIES/CONSULATES/MISSIONS/MECOs THAT WILL CONDUCT IT |
NUMBER OF QUALIFIED OVERSEAS VOTERS THAT WILL BE CATERED |
|
PERSONAL VOTING |
28 |
130,664 |
|
AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM |
7 |
324,770 |
There are also 26,808 sea-based qualified overseas voters who can vote at any Embassy, Consulate, Mission or MECO. END