A group of overseas workers in Hong Kong (HK) expressed dismay with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for its failure to provide a digital link for the voters’ pre-enrolment and test voting exercises.
Three days after the supposed start of the pre-voting enrolment period for overseas Filipinos, Bayan Muna-HK reported Comelec has yet to provide them a link to prepare for online overseas voting in the 2025 Philippine national elections.
“Comelec, what date is it? Where is the pre-enrolment link? You are not informing us of the true date of the release,” Bayan Muna-HK said spokesperson Lai Besana asked.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, through various Philippine embassies abroad, said the pre-voting enrolment period should have started last March 20.
Comelec’s website had no pre-enrolment link announcement last March 20.
According to the poll body, overseas voting starts on April 13.
But Bayan Muna-HK said that instead of a worry-free process, Comelec had been late with its information drive and pre-voting enrolment link.
“More worrisome is that many of our compatriots are unaware that voting will already be online,”Besana said.
Besana added that this Sunday should have been an opportune time for overseas Filipinos to enroll as it is rest-day for most.
She added that at the Online Voting and Canvassing System (OVCS) Training last March 16 at the Chinese territory, consulate officials assured them that the new online voting process would be “easy and fast.”
The Bayan Muna leader pointed out that the pre-enrolment process had already been postponed several times.
“Comelec’s first announcement was February 27, then March 10. The third date had come and gone, but the Comelec has yet to provide the link,” Besana said.
The leader said the absentee voting is important for OFWs in order for their issues to be head.
Besana said she hopes OFWs will not be disenfranchised by Comelec’s online absentee voting scheme. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
