WITH just a week before the start of the month-long overseas voting for the 2022 elections, 80 percent of the poll paraphernalia and supplies that will be used have been deployed to Philippine embassies and consulates, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Speaking in an online media forum yesterday, Commissioner George Garcia said nearly all the election paraphernalia and supplies have reached their destinations as of Wednesday last week.
“By tomorrow, I will ask for an update. And I am almost sure that it is already 100% deployed since voting starts next week,” said Garcia. “We are 100% prepared already.
Everything is set. All the embassies or consulates are ready.”
He added that all embassy staff and personnel tasked to conduct overseas voting have undergone the necessary training.
“Some commissioners are currently abroad to oversee the training of embassy officials and staff,” said Garcia.
Overseas voters can cast their votes from April 10, 2022 to May 9, 2022. Data shows there are 1,697,215 registered overseas voters for the 2022 elections.
There are 46 Philippine posts that will use the automated election system while another 46 will utilize the manual system of voting.
Garcia said they are hoping the voter turnout overseas would exceed the one million mark.
“Hopefully, our countrymen abroad will be more interested in voting. If they reach 1 million or over 1 million, it will be a huge success for overseas voting,” said Garcia.
The 2016 presidential elections saw a 31 percent overseas voter turnout, while the 2019 midterm polls had an 18 percent voter turnout.
