Seafarers urged to register for 2016 polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is coordinating with the labor industry to get seafarers to register for the 2016 polls.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez yesterday said they are preparing a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment, Commission on Filipinos Overseas and manning agencies to intensify the registration of seafarers.

“We are working now for the opening of registration centers in the private (sector) and organizations, like in manning agencies. We want to reach out to our seafarers,” he said.

Aside from registering as overseas absentee voters, seafarers could also update their registration so they can vote in 2016 either through postal or personal voting.

Comelec records showed that since May 6, 2014 when voter’s registration started until March 11, 2015, a total of 192,474 migrant Filipinos have registered in various Philippine posts abroad.

This brings to 1,167,737 the total number of registered overseas absentee voters, including those registered for the 2013 elections. Many of the Philippine posts have not yet submitted their reports to the Comelec.

Meanwhile, Jimenez urged anew all registered voters to validate their registration to make sure that they already have their biometrics data with the Comelec.

“No bio, no boto (vote),” he said.

The Comelec estimates that there are still some 4.7 million voters without biometrics and they are at risk of being disenfranchised in the 2016 polls.

Jimenez added that local Comelec offices have been sending letters to individuals who have no biometrics to come forward or they will be deactivated from the voters’ lists.

At present, the poll body is being assisted by the Philippine National Police, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and Iglesia ni Cristo in promoting the “No Bio, No Boto” campaign.