Overseas Filipino voters see dismal turnout in online elections

Nearly 69 million Filipinos were eligible to vote in the 2025 midterm elections held on May 12.

This election marked the first time overseas Filipino voters could cast their ballots online through internet voting in 77 Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide.

Over 1.2 million overseas Filipino voters were registered for the elections, with the UAE and US having the highest numbers.

The 30-day voting period for overseas Filipino voters ran from April 13 to May 12.

Despite the shift to online voting, the turnout among overseas Filipinos, particularly in the US, was described as "dismal," with only a 5% turnout out of over 190,000 registered voters in the US, Caribbean, Polynesia, and Micronesia.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez expressed surprise at the low turnout, suggesting that information about the new online system might not have been communicated effectively.

The 2025 midterms saw the elimination of the mail-in ballot option, with overseas absentee voting conducted entirely online.