MANILA, Philippines — The Foreign Affairs Department said that around 68,000 Filipino seafarers have already registered to be able to vote in next year’s polls.
However, DFA and the election body aim to register around 400,000 seafarers.
Earlier today a Memorandum of Agreement was inked between the DFA, COMELEC and the Maritime Industry Authority or MARINA.
The agreement states that MARINA will provide a space in their office to accommodate voters’ biometrics registration for seafarers visiting the agency.
Other seafarers may also avail of COMELEC’s online application program.
When visiting the website of the Commission on Elections, they just need to look for the Irehistro link where they can fill out the registration form and choose a schedule when they can visit a consulate for biometrics capturing.
According to COMELEC Commissioner Al Parreño , “Nakita nating isyu dati nahihirapan sila na mag-register kasi nasa dagat sila wala masyadong access. Kaya nga ho ginawa natin itong online registration. Pati yung dito pa lang po sa MARINA ay macapture na po natin sila.”
DFA, COMELEC and MARINA signs a Memorandum of Agreement enabling Filipino seafarers to register abroad
(The problem before was they found it hard to register because they were at sea; access was limited. That is why we came up with online registration. Even those who are still here can visit MARINA so they could register.)
But DFA is still hoping that online voting will be given a chance to enable more OFW and seafarers to participate.
For now, overseas absentee voters need to go to the consulates to be able to vote. (UNTV News)
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