Comelec approves online voting for overseas Filipinos
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday approved internet voting for registered overseas voters in the 2025 national and local elections.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said the online voting for overseas voters was approved in an effort to increase voter turnout.
“Higher overseas voter turnout. Spending P411 million resulting [in] a dismal 39 percent turnout (although highest in history) is not value for money so to speak,” Garcia said.
“Why are not so many overseas [F]ilipinos voting personally or by mail (presently the mode of voting for them)? Maybe they need another mode,” he added.
Garcia bared that the poll body is now in the process of creating a roadmap for electronic voting for overseas Filipinos.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Comelec said that the the conduct of electronic overseas voting was approved based on the following laws:
- Section 16.11, Republic Act (RA) No. 9189 which allows Comelec to “study the use of electronic mail, internet, or other secured networks in the casting of votes of qualified overseas Filipino voters”
- Section 28, RA No. 10590: “explore other more efficient, reliable and secure modes or systems, ensuring the secrecy and sanctity of the entire process, whether paper-based, electronic-based or internet-based technology or such other latest technology available, for onsite and remote registration and elections”; and
- Section 23, RA No. 10590: “determine other alternative modes of voting, thereby allowing the Commission to promulgate, without further legislation from Congress, its own rules and regulations for appropriate implementation of such voting system duly determined by the Commission.”
In 2022, Garcia called on Congress to consider allowing “internet voting,” after some overseas Filipino voters struggled to vote in person during the 2022 national elections.
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