Overseas Filipinos in the San Francisco Bay Area line up at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco on 11 October 2021 during the Consulate’s special Saturday overseas voting registration. (San Francisco PCG photos)
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – More Overseas Filipinos in the Bay Area and nearby areas are registering as overseas voters for the 2022 National Elections, following the extension of the overseas voting registration period at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco until 14 October 2021.
Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Frank R. Ferrer is elated with the increase in the number of overseas voting registrants over the past two weeks and continued to encourage other overseas Filipinos to beat the October 14 deadline.
In a statement, the Consul General indicated that “the numbers for overseas voting registration at the Consulate have been steadily rising over the past week with a total of 410 overseas voting applications, including 389 new applications, 17 reactivation requests, and four transfer requests. This shows an increasing interest among our kababayans not only to choose their leaders in next year’s elections, but also to make their stake in the future of our country.”
Following the decision by the Philippine Commission on Elections to extend the registration period for new overseas voters, the Consulate conducted another special Saturday overseas voting registration on 11 October 2021.
“Compared to the previous Saturday registration on September 25, which registered 80 overseas voters, last Saturday’s special registration added 170 more overseas voters including 167 new voters and three reactivation requests. We also accepted passport and dual citizenship applications that day, but an overwhelming majority of those who went to the Consulate lined up just to sign up as overseas voters,” Consul General Ferrer said.
The Philippine Consul General reiterates his appeal to overseas Filipinos in Northern California, as well as other states under the Consulate’s jurisdiction, to register as overseas voters on or before the last day of registration on October 14.
“I continue to urge all overseas Filipinos to exercise their right to vote by registering as an overseas voter at the Consulate office on Sutter Street, San Francisco. We are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until October 14 to accept overseas voter applications. Those who voted and sent their ballots to the Consulate in either the 2016 or the 2019 National Elections, or both, no longer need to register with us since their voter records remain active,” Consul General Ferrer said.
The public is also encouraged to send an email to [email protected] for inquiries on overseas voting at the Consulate. END