Seoul, 18 May 2014 – The Embassy of the Philippines in South Korea registered a total of 92 new voters in the first eight days of overseas voter registration (OVR), a figure that surpassed the total for the first month of the previous registration period in 2011-2012.

Reopening the 18-month long OVR campaign a day after Korea’s Buddha’s Birthday national holiday on May 6, the Embassy notched a total of 21 for three days on the first week and another 71 for five days in the second week ending on Sunday, May 18. On 2 November to 4 December 2011, the total was only 68 new registrants.

“We are seeing a marked improvement in registration rates here in Korea compared with the previous period for the midterm elections last year due to a number of new developments,” said First Secretary and Consul Deric Atienza, the Embassy’s OVR Administering Officer.

“One factor could be changes in the law to simplify overseas voting,” he opined, referring to Republic Act 10590 amending the Overseas Voting Act of 2013. As an example, he cited the removal under the amended law of a requirement for Filipino permanent residents to return to the Philippines three years after registration.

Greater interest in governance as well as the more convenient location of the registration booth in the Embassy’s Consular Section, which allows Filipino nationals to register while waiting to renew their passports or certify documents, could be positive factors toward increased registration.

The first voters expressed enthusiasm over the chance to cast a vote in future polls, such as the national synchronized elections in May 2016.

“It was a great privilege to be part of this event to exercise my right to vote in the future,” said Rogel Bautista, 32, an employee of a glass factory in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province. Originally of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Bautista decided to register while waiting to process his NBI application after realizing he would still be in Korea during the time of the next presidential elections in two years.

“I urge every overseas Filipino worker to register to vote to help our country choose the right leaders, not only by sending money back home but also to show our support for our government,” said Bautista, an EPS worker with 3.5 years left to his contract.

During a yearlong OVR period from 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2012, a total of 890 new voters registered at the Embassy.