Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh will conduct a mobile registration for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) at the International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR) on Friday, March 27, 2009 from 8:00am until 4:00pm.
The registration would allow qualified Filipino citizens to vote during the next Philippine national elections in May 2010. OAV applicants are requested to bring a copy of their Philippine passport as a requirement for registration.
“Most of our kababayans (compatriots) face difficulty in traveling to the Embassy especially during weekdays. This year, the Embassy can conduct mobile OAV registration activities only in Philippine schools as approved by the Saudi government. As such, the Embassy wishes to encourage our kababayans who have not yet registered to avail of his opportunity and proceed to the IPSR on Friday, March 27, to register,” Vice Consul Roussel R. Reyes, Head of the OAV Section of the Embassy, said.
“The Embassy is grateful to Principal Sinab Mabanin and the management of the IPSR for allowing us to use the schools facilities for OAV registration on March 27 for the benefit of our kababayans. This is only the start, and the Embassy will be making representations with other Philippine schools in the Kingdom to be able to conduct more mobile OAV registration activities. We are seeking the assistance of the Filipino community leaders in the campaign for voter registration and in mobilizing our fellow kababayans so they can travel to the registration venue,” Vice Consul Reyes added.
During a meeting with Filipino community leaders recently, the Embassy announced that it will conduct OAV registration at the Embassy lobby during working hours on Thursday from 8:00am to 12:00 noon. However, there will be no OAV registration on the Thursday when the Embassy conducts its consular outreach programs in the Central and Eastern Regions.
The embassy also intends to open OAV registration on Fridays simultaneous with major events organized by various Filipino community organizations, and when special arrangements are made with companies and establishments that wish to send their Filipino workers to the Embassy to register on a scheduled weekend.
The Embassy thanked the Filipino community leaders who attended the OAV meeting called for by the Embassy on March 12. Vice Consul Reyes, who facilitated the meeting, took note of their input and suggestions and assured the leaders that the Embassy will extend its registration schedule to whole days on Fridays as soon as the requested additional data capture machines are received from the Commission on Election (COMELEC). Vice Consul Reyes appreciated the concern and understanding shown by the Filipino community leaders during the meeting, most especially their enthusiasm and willingness to cooperate and assist the Embassy in the conduct of the OAV registration in the Kingdom.