02 September 2005 -- The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that preparations are well underway for this year's Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) continuing registration in Hong Kong with the Consulate embarking on a massive information campaign to ensure maximum participation of Filipinos working and residing in the Special Administrative Region.

Consul General Corazon L. Belmonte-Jover said the registration of qualified new overseas absentee voters for the 2007 national elections will commence on 1 October 2005 at the Consulate.   According to rules promulgated by the Commission on Elections, the continuing registration period for overseas voters will be for 11 months, ending on 31 August 2006.  The first registration in 2003 covered a period of only two months.

"We would like to commend members of the Filipino community who have volunteered their services for the process," Consul General Belmonte-Jover said. "With their cooperation, we are optimistic that we can convince most of our kababayans in Hong Kong to participate in this important political exercise."

Registration will be held at the Consulate from Sunday to Thursday. The Bayanihan Centre, located in central Hong Kong, will serve as a field registration area during Sundays. The Consulate will also hold mobile registration in conjunction with its monthly Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for newly arrived OFWs in Hong Kong.

In 2003, Hong Kong registered the most number of overseas absentee voters with more than 88,000. Out of this number, at least 62,000 voted in the 2004 national elections, the most by any country or territory.

"We expect between 20,000 to 30,000 to register this time," Consul General Belmonte-Jover. "We will not be surprised, however, if we can exceed that number considering that there will be more time to register."

As part of its preparations, the Consulate conducted seminars for Consulate personnel and Filipino community volunteers on the process and procedures to be used for the continuing registration.

Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Florentino A. Tuason, Jr, chairman of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COAV), visited Hong Kong recently and held a dialogue with the Consulate and members of the Filipino community in connection with the preparations and resumption of registration of qualified voters.

"I'm urging our OFWs and all Filipinos in Hong Kong to register as early as they can," Commissioner Tuason said. "I am confident that, with the cooperation of our embassies and consulates abroad, we can register at least one million overseas absentee voters." END