050607: Absentee voters in S'pore increase

The Philippine Star 05/06/2007

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore received the highest number of mailed ballots from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there allowed to vote by mail for the May 14 polls.

The Embassy in Singapore topped the list of Filipino embassies and consulates worldwide where mailed ballots are received for the OFW absentee voting.

As of last count, 2,228 ballots have been mailed to the Embassy, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Anota said in her report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Anota said current figures reflected a sharp increase from a trickle in the first few days of voting to as high as 330 ballots per day.

"The growing enthusiasm of voters is a reflection of the desire of Filipinos in Singapore for their voice to be heard and to be counted in their choice of Senators and party-list groups," Anota said.

She said that although the number of ballots received so far represent only 8.3 percent of the total number of registered voters in Singapore, the figure is higher than the global average registered for all Foreign Service Posts.

Anota said the upswing in ballot submissions became noticeable since they started their intensive and continuing information drive.

"We attribute the increase to our all-out information campaign that involved making announcements over the radio, Internet, newspapers, and in Filipino community events and activities, including religious services, and skills training classes of Filipino domestic workers," she added.

"However, we must be realistic in our expectations since a large number of people who registered four years ago in 2003 have changed address by moving overseas or within Singapore as a result of a change of employer or the expiration of their contract, particularly in the case of domestic helpers," Anota added.

Of the 26,835 overseas absentee voters who are registered in Singapore, about 90 percent or 23,986 were registered during the 2003 registration period. – Michael Punongbayan

 

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