Over 140 Pinoy sailors register in Portugal for overseas voting 

At least 141 Filipino seafarers registered for overseas absentee voting (OAV) during a consular mission of the Philippine embassy in Lisbon while their ship was docked off Portugal last month.   The Filipino seafarers were serving as crew members of M/S Crystal Symphony. They registered for OAV while they were on a 12-hour stopover at the Port of Alcántara in Lisbon.   "The two-man team from the Philippine Embassy, led by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Rogelio Villanueva, conducted the whole-day registration for overseas absentee voters and was able to process the applications of 141 crew members, most of whom have not voted in the last 10 years due to their regular absence from the Philippines while on sea duty," the DFA said in a news release over the weekend.   "Crystal Symphony" is one of three cruise ships, aside from  "Crystal Serenity" and "Crystal Harmony," owned and operated by Crystal Cruises of the Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK).   A $250-million floating hotel, it has eight guest decks and 461 staterooms that can accommodate 922 passengers and a crew of 545.   The DFA said the Filipino seafarers composed almost half of the Crystal Symphony´s total crew.   Under Comelec Resolution 9269, the continuing registration for qualified overseas absentee voters will end on October 31.   "Filipinos seafarers known for their skill and versatility comprise more than a fifth of the total number of seafarers in the world. Every year hundreds of ships visit the ports of Portugal, including the islands of Azores and Madeira," the DFA said. - VVP, GMA News