Social media getting the overseas vote out

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has resorted to social media to ensure high absentee voting turnout this year as some 1.37 million registered overseas voters began casting their ballots on April 9.

DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, who chairs the Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS), told the Inquirer that the turnout on the first day of overseas voting was “impressive compared to past elections.”

“There were comments about the long lines but that was usual because of the heavy voting during day one at some posts. Otherwise, it was smooth,” said Seguis in a text message Sunday.

“Our embassies and consulates have gone out of their way to reach out to Filipinos abroad and have tapped social media to ensure participation in the overseas voting,” he said.

Seguis described social media as “an effective tool to reach out to Filipinos overseas for their concerns.”

The DFA has yet to receive complete reports from its embassies and consulates on the start of overseas voting.

Seguis said overseas voters, many of whom are the breadwinners of their families, could influence some 5.2 million voters in the Philippines.

Automated voting will be conducted in 30 embassies and consulates, while 20 diplomatic outposts will resort to manual voting as there is a fewer number of Filipino voters in their jurisdictions. At least 95,000 overseas voters will go through manual procedures.

There will be 125 vote counting machines (VCM) used in the next 30 days of overseas voting that will end on May 9.

Seguis said embassies and consulates with less than 10,000 registered voters will hold elections through manual voting.

He admitted the voter turnout in the last 12 years had declined due to lack of interest of Filipinos abroad in the local politics, difficulties going to the precincts and time constraints since their employers would not allow them a break to cast their votes.