Sen. Marcos calls for longer voting hours for OFWs abroad

Senator Imee Marcos urged Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide to extend voting hours for overseas Filipinos after the absentee voting period began with some complaints.

Marcos warned that setbacks reported on the first day of voting in Hong Kong, the United States, Italy, and New Zealand might be replicated in other areas with large OFW populations.

She emphasized that extending voting hours is a crucial immediate solution for working Filipinos abroad while the Commission on Elections (Comelec) addresses logistical challenges for more voting precincts.

Marcos pointed out that government offices abroad did not have consistent voting hours, with some ending mid-afternoon and others extending into the night.

Long lines, delayed shipment of election paraphernalia, and unreceived mail-in ballots are preventing many OFWs from voting.

Complaints from Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom also revealed that some OFWs still did not know where to vote or that the deadline for voter registration was already over.