By Katrina Gracia Consebido
To increase overseas absentee voter turnout, the Philippine Consulate in Shanghai, China said Wednesday, April 27, that there will be a “vote anywhere” scheme for Filipino voters in Xiamen, Macau, and Hong Kong.
This after Filipino voters in Shanghai were unable to cast their votes after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) postponed the overseas absentee voting in the city amid the rising COVID-19 cases in the area.
According to Comelec data, there are at least 1,600 registered Filipino voters in Shanghai.
“Mula pa ho noong simula ng lockdown, iyan na po ang abiso namin sa mga kababayan na mayroon pong parang ‘vote anywhere’ scheme para po sa personal voting. Iyon po ay para sa mga post lamang na may personal voting,” Philippine Consul General to Shanghai Josel Ignacio said during the Laging Handa briefing.
“At dito po sa Tsina, ang may ganiyan pong sistema ay ang ating konsulado sa Xiamen na medyo may kalayuan nga lang po. At dalawa pa po na [mayroon], nandoon po sa Special Administrative Region na Macau at Hong Kong, pwede din po doon,” Ignacio added.
Ignacio also noted that 4,000 Filipinos in Shanghai are currently being monitored by the Consulate in Shanghai after the city was put on lockdown due to COVID-19 surge.
He said there are about 18 Filipinos positive for COVID-19, while five of them have already been discharged from quarantine facilities.
“Ito pong mga COVID-positive ay closely managed. Ang ibig sabihin, ang may access lang po sa kanila ay authorities ng Shanghai,” Ignacio said. – gb
