Comelec eyes OFW registration in foreign malls

The Commission on Elections is studying the possibility of tapping malls abroad in the registration of overseas absentee voters (OAVs) for the May 2016 polls.

In a recent press briefing, Comelec Chair Andres Bautista said the election body was seriously considering mall-based satellite registration for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) so they would not miss the chance to vote.

At present, voter registration among OFWs is done at Philippine foreign service outposts or through the Internet via the Comelec’s iRehistro system.

“We can see that the mall culture is Filipino culture… Filipinos like to converge on malls and we would like to take advantage of this,” Bautista told reporters.

In the country, the Comelec has set up satellite registration booths in malls nationwide to draw more registrants. It has partnered with Ayala malls, Robinsons malls, SM Supermalls, Walter Mart community malls and Pacific malls.

Bautista, however, said it may be difficult to adopt the scheme abroad since the poll agency would have to coordinate with foreign mall owners.

“We are not sure if they will allow us to use their facilities so we need to seek their permission,” he said.

Bautista said the Comelec will be discussing its proposal with the Department of Foreign Affairs.–Jocelyn R. Uy