Comelec reminds overseas Filipinos to pre-enroll for online voting

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday called on 1.2 million overseas Filipino voters to take part in the pre-voting enrollment system for Eleksyon 2025.

The pre-enrollment period for the first-ever online voting and counting system (OVCS) will kick off on March 20 and will remain open until May 7, 2025.

“Ito po ang unang araw ng pagpapa-enroll. Kinakailangan ma-enroll niyo ang mga sarili niyo sa atin pong mga website,” said Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia.

(Today is the first day of pre-enrollment. They should register themselves on our website.)

“In a matter of less than two minutes, ma-accomplish nyo yan,” he said.

(You can accomplish that in less than two minutes.)

Registration

According to Garcia, the OVCS will now accept all government-issued identification (ID) cards, including passports, seaman’s books, driver’s licenses, and national IDs.

He also called on local voters to remind their relatives abroad to pre-enroll, saying registered voters will not be allowed to cast ballots in the upcoming polls if unregistered.

“Kahit rehistradong botante ka at di ka naman nakapagpa-enroll, hindi ka makakaboto. Kinakailangan malaman muna namin, ikaw ba yan? ‘Yan ba ang identity mo? Para mabigyan ka ng password para magamit mo ang system,” he said.

(You cannot vote if you are not registered in the pre-voting system. We need to verify your identity to be given a password for the system.)

Enrollment

Voters can do the pre-voting enrollment through their own internet-capable device, voting kiosks at the Philippine Posts, or the field/mobile pre-voting enrollment scheduled by the Philippine Post.

Voters should observe the following in the pre-voting enrollment:

• Sign up using the official link for pre-voting enrollment provided by the Comelec;
• Follow the instructions indicated therein; and
• Once the pre-voting enrollment is successful, the overseas voter can vote online during the 30-day Overseas Voting period.

Overseas voters can cast their votes online using electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops starting April 13 until May 12, election day in the Philippines.

The Comelec said the link for the pre-enrollment is ready but has yet to be published.

“Naniniwala tayo na dahil internet voting, di na pupunta sa embahada o konsulada, basta properly informed ang mga kababayan natin, boboto sila,” the poll chief said.

(We believe Filipino voters overseas will vote.)

Int'l certifying body

Meanwhile, Garcia allayed fears the internet voting system will be compromised, reiterating the poll body will remain vigilant against those who will try to compromise the upcoming May elections.

“Ito ay dumaan na sa international certifying body. Kahit ang ating mga citizens arm at interest  groups, kahit political parties, ay na-invite sa local source code review. Wala silang nakita. Maayos naman po lalong-lalo na ang ginagawa nating trusted build…Hidi ito mac-compromise ang integridad ng sistema,” he said.

(This underwent the international certifying body. We also invited citizen arms,  interest groups, and political parties to a local source code review and they did not observe any errors. Our system will not be compromised.)

“Kaya lang patuloy pa rin tayong magbabantay, patuloy tayong magiging alerto, aktibo, dahil marami pa ring masasamang loob na pwede mag-try,” he added.

(But we will remain vigilant, alert, and active against those who will try to compromise the system.)

There are 69.6 million registered voters for the May polls and of that number, 68.4 million are in the country while 1.2 million are overseas voters. —VAL, GMA Integrated News


 

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