PCG: More Pinoys in HK registering for 2016 overseas absentee voting

Voters choose their candidates at the Bayanihan Centre (File Photo)

WITH less than a month more to go before the closing of the Overseas Voting Registration (OVR), more Filipinos here in the territory are rushing to register.

Vice Consul Alex Vallespin said that from the 80 to 90 average of new registrants every week that the Philippine Consul General previously processed, the number of average new registrants in the recent weeks is between 150 and 160.

The last day for registration is October 31.

“We’re averaging close to 120 new registrants dito sa Konsulado. [Kung kasama ang PNB s World-Wide House), ngayon siguro ang average 150 to 160 new registrants every week,” Vallespin said.

The registration at the Consulate is from Sunday to Thursday, while registration at the Philippine National Bank in World Wide House is open seven days a week.

“Dahil sa pumapasok na ngayon, siguro easily nasa 19,000 [na ang new registrants] and with our schedule na siksik hanggang October 25, we’re confident talaga na malalagpasan natin ito [target
20,000 new registrants],” said Vallespin.

Besides the regular registration schedule at the PCG and at World-Wide House, Vallespin said the PCG has scheduled mobile registration visits to various locations in Hong Kong.

On September 20, a mobile registration visit was scheduled to be in the Jesus is Lord Church in Tuen Mun, and then on September 27 at Chater Road in Central.

Meanwhile, Vallespin also said the PCG has received two applications for the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) members and two more have expressed their intent to submit their application.

He said the PCG is still awaiting instructions from the Commission on Elections in Manila about the number of SBEIs for the presidential polls in May.

“Mukhang hindi aaprubahan ang hinihingi naming 20 SBEIs. Baka mas mababa, we’re still waiting for the guidance of Comelec, pero ang sa amin lang dapat hindi bababa sa siyam noong mid-term elections. Presidential elections ito sa May, so it should not go lower than nine [SBEIs],” Vallespin said.

In July, Vallespin told leaders of the Filipino community that the PCG was firming up the terms of reference for the hiring of 40 members of SBEIs.

To qualify as SBEI members, one must be at least 18 years old, able to speak English or Filipino, of good moral character and has never been convicted of any election offense or any other
crime punishable by more than six months in prison.

As of September 18, Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas have declared their intention to seek the presidency next year.