Overseas voting for midterm polls starts

National

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially opened the overseas voting period for the May 2025 national and local elections.

The start of the overseas voting on April 13 came following the conclusion of the test voting phase under the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) at 11:59 p.m. on April 12.

In a press statement, the Comelec said the end of the test period marked the start of the official voting period for registered overseas voters, which runs until 7:00 p.m. on May 12, 2025, coinciding with the closing of polls in the Philippines.

“Ang paghihinto ng Test Voting Period ay kinakailangang upang buksan na at masimulan na ang Official Overseas Voting Period mula April 13, 2025 hanggang 7:00PM ng May 12, 2025 PST,” the poll body stated.

According to the agency, voting began at 8:00 a.m. local time in each foreign service post.

In a report by Philippine Star, Comelec Spokesperson Atty. John Rex C. Laudiangco said that Filipinos served by the Philippine Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand were the first to cast their ballots, beginning at 4:00 a.m. Manila time. He also noted that internet voting is available in 77 posts, while 16 others are facilitating in-person voting at embassies or consulates.

“Voting for our kababayans abroad on the 77 posts is via internet voting. And those in 16 posts are through going to the embassy or the consulate,” he said in a radio interview.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia likewise confirmed that Filipinos abroad began voting early.

“Actually, as early as the wee hours of the morning, our kababayans abroad cast their votes,” he said, adding that “internet voting abroad is open 24 hours a day.”

Prior to the official start, the Comelec conducted a test period for the OVCS from March 20 to April 12, allowing voters to simulate the process and familiarize themselves with the new system.

As of April 11, 1.231 million Filipinos were registered as overseas voters but Garcia reported that only 48,000 had successfully enrolled for internet voting.(Ann Patrice Sabaysabay, CTU-TC Intern)