TFC, DFA Tie Up for Overseas Voting Push
by MB Online
August 29, 2015
With the deadline for the worldwide registration for the 2016 elections coming to a close on October 31, The Filipino Channel (TFC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) join hands once again to propagate the overseas Filipino’s (OF) right to vote.
Managing Director for Asia Pacific of ABS-CBN Global Ltd. Philippine Branch Ailene Averion, said: “We transcend roles and help our kababayans realize and act on what they can do for their country. We concretize this by helping key government agency DFA OVS in its aim to reach out to Filipinos of voting age who can elect their next leaders by registering and exercising their right to vote.”
Since 2012, TFC has been laying out its platforms for the promotion of the OV act. The network opened its events for on-site registration efforts and tapped personalities such as Boy Abunda, Pokwang, Sam Milby, Eric Santos and Piolo Pascual to banner the 2012 campaign and Ted Failon, Atom Araullo, Maan Macapagal, Robi Domingo and Kim Chiu to headline the 2013 campaign.
DFA-OVS Chairperson Undersecretary Rafael Seguis credits the 85 posts all over the world for bringing the 2012 numbers to fore. He added: “The most important thing for us is for media to create awareness. Thank you to ABS-CBN TFC for this kind of arrangement that will help create this kind of awareness for OV. We have similar arrangements in the past but not of this magnitude. Now we will be reaching even Africa because of TFC’s reach and popularity.”
DFA OVS reported that new registrants have reached the 600,000-mark, bringing the new total to 608,516.
A total of 13 overseas registration centers (OVRC) in the Philippines have been opened to reach Filipinos who are about to leave for overseas, whether on a permanent or temporary basis. These are the DFA Regional Consular Office in Davao, San Fernando Pampanga, and Cebu; and DFA Satellite Offices in Robinsons Galleria, SM Manila and Ali Mall; DFA Office of Consular Affairs in ASEAN Business Park in Paranaque; NAIA Terminals 1 to 3 in Pasay City, POEA in Ortigas, Mandaluyong, and Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc. in Makati City, Marina at Kalaw City, Manila and CFO in Osmeña in Manila; and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Training Center in Intramuros.
The deadline for overseas voting registration is on October 31, 2015 while the voting period for the 2016 Presidential Elections is from April to May 9, 2015. For more information visit www.dfa-oavs.gov.phand www. comelec.gov.ph