The month-long voting for overseas Filipinos starts today (April 13), as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is hoping for majority participation.

“I hope we can at least get 50 percent of the 1.321 million voters because we are introducing Internet voting,” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.

Of the 93 posts abroad, he said, 77 would use Internet voting, where Filipinos could vote through their gadgets, such as cellphones, tablets, and laptops.

Garcia encouraged those who have not yet enrolled to have themselves listed by enrolling at ov.comelec.gov.ph/enroll.

To date, about 40,000 voters overseas have enrolled for Internet voting.

Once they are enrolled, each voter will be given an account and password to log in and be able to vote.

“This Internet voting is a huge benefit, especially for our fellow seafarers since they no longer need to dock at a port to vote because even if they are on the ship, if they have a cellphone, laptop, iPad, they can vote,” Garcia said.

He assured that the voters and their votes are protected.

“Is it protected? Yes, we guarantee it. It has passed all international certifications, all source code reviews, and at the same time, we have also installed all kinds of security,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, 13 posts abroad will use automated counting machines (ACMs) because the host country does not allow Internet voting.

“Those 13 posts, they do not want to use their Internet voting, like China, Russia, etc., and therefore, we will bring the machines,” he said.

In the 2022 polls, only 40.59 percent of the 1.687 million registered overseas Filipino voters participated but the figure was recorded as the highest voter turnout in history.

The voting period is set to conclude on May 12, 2025 (7 p.m. Philippine Standard Time).

Voters overseas will elect national positions only – 12 senators and one party-list group.

PIA PHOTO