Press Release
PR No. ETA-19-2022
Jeddah PCG Personnel Train for the Automated Elections System of the 2022 Overseas Absentee Voting
Personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (Jeddah PCG) attend the Personal Automated Elections System (AES) for the 2022 Overseas Voting Training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 22-24 March 2022. (Front row, from left to right: Vice-Consul Jeremiah Attento of Jeddah PCG; Vice-Consul Lemuel Lopez of Jeddah PCG; DFA-OVS Vice-Chair Zoilo Velasco; COMELEC Commissioner Rey Bulay; Vice-Consul Elizabeth Ramos, Dubai PCG; Ms. Sheela Cañete, Jeddah PCG; Ms. Estrelita Cuevas, Jeddah PCG; Back row, from left to right: Mr. Dexter Ayada; Ms. Sittie Zubaida Murod-Malang; Ms. Ernestine Rili; and Mr. Melvin Saromines, all of Jeddah PCG.) [Photo credit: Dubai PCG]
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 22 March 2022 - Select members of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (Jeddah PCG)’s-constituted Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) started participating in the Training for the 2022 Overseas Absentee Voting for all Middle East Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) adopting the Personal Automated Elections System (AES) being conducted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai (DubaiPCG) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 22-24 March 2022.
In his opening remarks, COMELEC Commissioner Rey Echavarria Bulay stated that much of COMELEC’s functions will be delegated to FSPs in order to serve the needs of overseas Filipinos who wish to have their votes counted. He further emphasized the importance of COMELEC’s partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in carrying out the elections overseas and ensuring integrity and credibility are not compromised.
The overseas absentee voting, a vital democratic exercise, guaranteed by Republic Act 9189 will be conducted by Jeddah PCG and all other FSPs around the world from 10 April 2022 to 09 May 2022.
The United Arab Emirates was chosen as the site of the training because it has the largest number of registered voters among all Middle East and Africa FSPs. END
