Improved policies regarding overseas voting (OV) in countries like Saudi Arabia was proposed August 15 at the thanksgiving luncheon the Commission on Elections-Office for Overseas Voting (COMELECOFOV) conducted for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
At the thanksgiving and commendation luncheon for the successful May 2019 midterm elections, it was proposed that the COMELEC include guidelines for the reverse logistics of all OV-related equipment, materials, and paraphernalia after the conclusion of each OV registration and election exercise.
Another recommendation for the commission is to include appropriation of DFA-OVs funds on all expenses related to foreign service posts’ implementation of OVs (except for Honoraria), such as registration and election equipment, and accountable forms and materials. This is in order to minimize problems like storage and tedious reimbursement processes.
DFA reported at the event that this year’s midterm election had the highest voter turn-out and the second highest to the 2016 presidential elections since the implementation of Philippine Overseas Voting.
COMELEC Chairman Sheriff Abad, for his part, thanked the department for its contribution last election. “The DFA largely contributed in ensuring that even our overseas workers are given the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. The DFA, through the different embassies, have been vigilant in reporting to the COMELEC, whatever bugs or problems that they initially encounter in the early stages of the overseas voting. This helps us prevent these problems from being encountered in the actual day of the regular elections.”
