11 March 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia  Domingo Albert said that preparations are in full  swing at the Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam  for the overseas absentee voting that will take place  in the coming weeks. The officers and staff, as well  as their family members and the Filipino community who  have been tapped for the voting and counting  processes, have just concluded their intensive  in-house training on the Overseas Absentee Voting at  the Philippine Embassy.

 Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez conducted the  training together with other Embassy staff who  attended the Training on Overseas Absentee Voting and  Counting held in Manila on 3-7 February 2004. Echo  training for the volunteers from the Filipino  community will be held for two consecutive days  beginning 08 March 2004.

 Secretary Albert noted further that the Philippine  Embassy has already come up with announcements in
 newspapers, as well as on its website, informing the  Filipinos of the venues, dates and time schedules
 during which they could cast their votes at the  Embassy.  The Embassy has also encouraged Filipino to
 go to the Embassy early to avoid the rush of last  minute voting.

 “I am proud of our people at the embassies and  consulates who have left no stone unturned for this  monumental phase of our democratic process,” she stated.

 Relevant announcements have also been posted in the  Embassy’s bulletin boards, Jollibee outlets, churches
 and other places frequented by Filipinos in Brunei.  Aside from the general announcements, the Embassy is
 also sending out individual and group notices to the  registered Filipinos whose applications  to vote in
 absentia have been approved by the COMELEC.

 Primers on the Conduct of Overseas Absentee Voting are  already being made available to Filipino clients at
 the Consular, Labor, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG offices of  the Embassy. -END