10 April 2016 - The Philippine Embassy in Doha started the Overseas Voting for the 2016 Philippine National Elections to all registered Filipino voters in Qatar yesterday, 9 April 2016.  For the first time in Qatar, the Embassy will adopt the automated election system (AES) which will allow faster counting of ballots and real time transmittal of the election result. On the first day of overseas voting, more than 750 voters cast their votes.

Mr. Jose Palarca, who works as a security guard in Qatar, was at the Philippine Embassy at 5am and was the first to cast his vote as an overseas voter. He believes that the power of change is in the hands of the voters especially at this crucial time when the Philippines is poised to choose a new President.

The 30-day voting period for the 2016 Philippine National Elections will run from 9 April until 9 May 2016. During this period, the Embassy will be open for voting  during regular office hours from Sundays to Thursdays             between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and during Fridays, Saturdays, and Holidays  between 9:00 AM to 5:00PM (no break). On 9 May 2016, the last day of voting and election day in the Philippines, voters will have 7:00 AM until 12:00NN to cast their votes.

Ambassador Wilfredo Santos encourages all Filpinos in Qatar to exercise their right of suffrage and to make their vote count as part of their civic duties as a Filipino citizen. He is confident that with the more than 70% increase in the voters registration in Qatar, there will be a corresponding increase in the voters turnout compared to the 20% turnout last 2013 Midterm Elections. Qatar has over 40,000 registered voters. END