Senators mull allowing Filipinos abroad vote for their congressmen

Overseas Filipino voters should be allowed to elect congressmen through absentee voting, Senator Francis Tolentino said during the plenary debates on the proposed P14.84 billion budget of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for 2021.

"It will generate the participation of our kababayans who are clustered culturally—the Batanguenos, Cavitenos, Ilocanos—if they will vote for their congressmen. The Constitution does not prohibit that," Tolentino said.

"The Constitution is silent. It does not say that you can only vote for senators, President, and the Vice President," he added.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon agreed with Tolentino, pointing out that while 1.6 million overseas Filipinos are registered voters, the actual turnout during elections are just around 300,000.

"We can generate more participation by including local candidates," he said.

In the current absentee voting system for OFWs, ballots do not include congressmen because of the way these are being counted, according Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.

"The ballots are counted overseas and sent back to Manila... unlike in the US overseas voting or absentee voting, it goes to the state, ang bilangan doon sa local mismo. Sa atin, ang bilangan at the national level lang," he said.

Drilon suggested printing two ballots—one that would be sent back to the local level and one that will be counted at the national level.

"The overseas voter ballot packet will have to be customized to each overseas Filipinos' hometown so medyo logistical nightmare sa ngayon," said Senator Risa Hontiveros, sponsor of Comelec's budget.

"But it's good na makita natin what would it entail kung 'yan ang gagawin ng ating Kongreso," she added.—AOL, GMA News