The upcoming 2025 midterm election in the Philippines is set to make history. For the first time ever, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is introducing internet voting for Filipinos abroad, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Internet voting allows voters to cast their ballots online, making the process more accessible and convenient for Filipinos living or working overseas. To ensure participation, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) urges eligible individuals who will be abroad during the 30-day voting period, from April 13 to May 12, 2025, to register as overseas voters before the deadline on September 30, 2024.
If you haven’t registered yet, don’t worry. In this issue, we will guide you through the Overseas Voter Registration process. Here’s how:
Step 1: Check if you’re eligible to register
The first thing you need to check is whether you are qualified to register. According to the Philippine Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code, any Filipino citizen who has reached the age of 18 by the time of the election is eligible to vote. This means that as long as you are a Filipino citizen and will be 18 years old or older by April 13, 2025, you have the right to participate in the upcoming elections.
Are you a seafarer? No problem! This rule applies to you too, along with Filipinos living abroad who hold dual citizenship.
However, there are some rules to keep in mind for Overseas Voter (OV) Registration. You can’t register if you’ve lost your Filipino citizenship, renounced your Philippine citizenship for another country, been convicted of a serious offense in the Philippines, or been declared legally incompetent (unless certified otherwise by Philippine diplomatic offices).
So, if you meet all the qualifications, it’s time to gather up the paperwork you’ll need to get yourself registered!
Step 2: Prepare the required documents
To proceed with the OV Registration, the most important thing that you need to prepare is your Philippine passport. It’s your official proof of being a Filipino citizen and contains all the important details needed to make sure your registration goes smoothly. Simply make sure you have both the original and a photocopy at hand.
Your passport helps you check your registration status, update your details, and reactivate your voter record, especially if it’s been inactive due to missing the last two National elections.
It is also important to note that there are additional requirements for seafarers and dual citizens: For seafarers, bring your seafarer’s ID record book. Dual citizens should bring their Dual Citizenship certificate or Order of Approval, with both the original and a photocopy.
That’s not all! After preparing your passport, you will also need to prepare the OV form.
Step 3: Obtain the OV form
An OV Form is the registration form you’ll submit to become an overseas voter. There are two ways to obtain this form: online and in-person.
To do it online, all you have to do is open the iRehistro platform of the COMELEC at irehistro.comelec.gov.ph/ovf1 to fill out and generate your OVF1 form with a QR code. Remember, iRehistro isn’t an online registration system but helps you complete and generate your OVF1 form.
Once you have entered all the necessary information, save a copy of the system-generated PDF file containing the completed OVF1 form on your device and print it on A4-sized paper. This printout will be the form that you will personally submit at the nearest OV registration site to process your application.
However, if you prefer to obtain it in-person, all you need to do is visit the nearest Consulate or Embassy (which is also the next step) and ask for a form to fill out.
Step 4: Visit the nearest Consulate or Embassy
Once you’ve got all your documents ready, just head over to the nearest consulate or embassy. Let them know you’re there for Overseas Voting, and they’ll guide you through.
For OFWs in the UAE, the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai is located at 851 Beirut St, Al Qusais, Al Twar Fourth, Dubai. Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi can be found at W-48, Street No. 8, Sector 2-23, Plot 51, Al Qubaisat, Abu Dhabi.
Both offices operate Mondays to Thursdays from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, and on Friday from 7:30 am to 12:00 noon. However, they are closed on public holidays of the UAE and the Philippines.
Step 5: Get your biometrics taken—make sure it’s complete!
At the consulate or embassy, they will take your biometrics to finalize your registration. It’s essential to ensure this step is done thoroughly. Once completed, congratulations—you’re now a registered voter!
And now the question stands: What if I am an OFW who is currently in the Philippines?
Worry not, because there are also multiple locations where you can do the Overseas Voter Satellite Registration. Here are a few that you can visit to:
Now that you know how and where to register as an Overseas Voter, you might be wondering: why does it matter? Overseas Voting lets Filipino citizens abroad have their say, honoring the hard work of overseas workers and their dreams of a brighter future for loved ones back home in the Philippines.
His Excellency Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, the Ambassador of the Philippines to the United Arab Emirates, highlights the importance of voter registration, stating, “Nagsisimula po ang ating karapatang makaboto sa ating responsibilidad na tiyaking tayo ay nakarehistro nang tama sa lugar kung saan tayo boboto, o kaya’y ang ating mga detalye’t impormasyon sa ating rehistro ay napapanahon o updated. Ibig sabihin, lahat po ng ating kababayan na nasa hustong gulang na nakatira o nagtatrabaho na sa UAE ay dapat magparehistro sa ating Embahada sa Abu Dhabi o Konsulado sa Dubai.”
To invite overseas Filipinos, the ambassador says: “Kaya’t inaanyayahan at hinihikayat ko po ang lahat ng ating mga kababayan dito sa UAE na magparehistro sa ating Embahada sa Abu Dhabi o kaya’y sa ating Konsulado sa Dubai, depende sa kung saan po mas kumportable para sa inyo ang bumoto.”
“Nawa’y ang lahat ng Pilipino dito sa UAE ay maging bahagi ng ating buhay na demokrasya kung saan ang bawat boto at boses ay mahalaga, bagaman tayo ay malayo sa Pilipinas at nasa ibang bansa,” he concluded.
As a Filipino, it is indeed important to exercise your right to vote even when you’re far from our home country. Participating in the upcoming elections ensures that your voices are heard.
Remember, your vote is your voice, so let it be heard.
