According to poll commissioner Marlon Casquejo, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is betting on overseas voter turnout for the 2022 elections to be higher than in previous elections.
Casquejo said in a television interview that since April 10, the first day of abroad voting for the 2022 elections, over 30% of Filipinos had voted in some regions, such as Hong Kong, while about 20% have voted in other nations.
“Our overseas voting right now is very much interesting because you know, [on] the first day, there are so many overseas voters who want to vote. So, we are expecting a much higher voting turnout as compared in 2016 and 2019 elections,” he said.
“Sa ngayon (right now), for this early time period of voting, we have already reached our target, which is more than 30%,” he added.
Casquejo reminded that voter turnout abroad was only approximately 20% or less in the past elections.
According to Comelec data, 1,697,215 abroad Filipinos are registered to vote in the 2022 elections. In addition, there are 786,997 people from the Middle East and Africa, 450,282 people from Asia Pacific, 306,445 people from North and Latin America, and 153,491 people from Europe.
Overseas voter turnout higher this year – Comelec
Casquejo credited the improved overseas voter turnout to the Comelec’s innovative “vote anywhere” and field voting principles.
He clarified that under the “vote anywhere” idea, Filipinos who are registered in one country but live in another can vote. Meanwhile, he stated that when it comes to field voting, the consul or embassy employees will immediately go to where the Filipinos live to conduct their vote.
The Comelec’s projected budget of P41.992 billion was reduced to P26.497 billion by the Department of Budget and Management last year. P111.9 million has been aside for the Overseas Absentee Voting Continuing Registration, according to the DBM.
Casquejo said, “During en banc meeting, we asked for additional budget. Since we have some savings from other budget, so we were given additional budget of P345 million. That is why we were able to conduct field voting and also the postage, we were able to give additional budget for the postage of the mailing packet.”
To cast their ballots, Filipino voters who applied for the abroad voting option have until May 9, 2022, or Election Day in the Philippines.
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