FILIPINO citizens overseas will be able to register as voters for the May 2022 presidential elections beginning December 16, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In her Twitter post (@commrguanzon), Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the overseas voter registration period will run until September 30, 2021.
"Preparation meeting of training team leaders and IT guys now ongoing for training of DFA officers on registration of overseas voters starting December 16 to September 30, 2021," said Guanzon, who is the commissioner in charge for the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV).
No other details are available regarding the forthcoming resumption of overseas voter registration.
Under the law, all citizens of the Philippines who are abroad or will be abroad during the 30-day voting period, are at least 18 years of age on the day of the elections, and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register.
During the May 2019 midterm elections, there were a total of 1,822,173 registered overseas voters.
Guanzon said they were looking at the possibility of allowing all overseas voters to vote in any Philippine post abroad.
Guanzon said they are studying the idea of adopting a vote anywhere policy for all overseas voters.
"If you are registered in Jordan but on Election Day you will be in the US, you can vote in the US," Guanzon cited as an example.
Currently, only sea-based voters are allowed to vote in any Philippine post where they will be docked while land-based voters are designated to cast their ballots in the Philippine post in the country where they are based. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)