By Daisy CL Mandap
 |
| A steady stream of voters head to Bayanihan despite the rain |
More than 3,800 Filipinos showed up at the Bayanihan
Centre today to cast their ballots, pushing the total tally past the turnout
recorded in the last presidential election in 2016 – with exactly a week to go
in the ongoing Overseas Voting.
According to Consul General Raly Tejada, the 23-day
total in the ongoing election is “approximately 48,300” (The Commission on
Elections forbids overseas posts from giving exact figures).
“We have already surpassed 2016!,” Congen Tejada
exclaimed, obviously elated.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
He had said previously that he was hoping the total
turnout would at least hit 50,000, a figure that is definitely within reach at
this stage.
In the last general election six years ago, 46,396 out
of the 93,978 registered voters had cast their votes, amounting to a 49% turnout.
With a slightly smaller registration figure of 93,265,
the current turnout is already at 51.7%.
 |
| PRESS FOR DETAILS! |
There are indications the number could jump further,
as some religious groups whose members are usually bused to Bayanihan to cast
their ballots at the same time, have yet to make this move.
There are also a number of people whose names were not
included in the Certified List of Overseas Voters even if they have receipts
showing they had listed up during the two-year registration period which ended in
October last year.
Among them is Liezel Lao, who was among those who
lined up for hours on the first day of voting on April 10, only to be told by
the OV Secretariat that she could not vote as her name was not in the CLOV.
 |
| Press for details |
Lao has been following up on her case since, and is now
worried she may end up being disenfranchised because her only remaining day off
is on May 8, the day before the OV ends.
Told about her case, Congen Tejada said the
Secretariat would follow up with Comelec immediately as only the polling body can
authorize a voter’s inclusion in the CLOV.
He hopes Comelec would act quickly on this and similar
cases as there is only a week to go before the polls close on May 9.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The last day of the OV coincides with the day when all
of the 67 million registered voters in the Philippines go to polling stations
across the country to cast their votes.
Filipinos voting overseas get to elect a president,
vice president, a maximum of 12 senators, and one party-list. Those in the
Philippines are also able to vote for local officials, including the members of
Congress.
