First-ever internet voting will start for overseas Filipinos Apr 13

By Lindy Rosales

The system will go live for 77 Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide including the Northeast USA, according to the Commission on Election (Comelec) during a recent briefing at the Philippine Center in New York City.

Currently, there are 1.2 million registered overseas Filipino voters while in the Philippines there are 68.6 million registered voters for the May 2025 elections.

Overseas Filipinos registered to vote for the 2025 election  will still need to enroll for online voting. The  deadline to register for online voting is May 7, 2025. Overseas voting period ends May 12.

Comelec is urging voters to  verify their names on the National Registration of Overseas Voters (NROV) on the Comelec website. Philippine Republic Act 8189 states that if you don’t vote for two  consecutive elections, your name will be deactivated from the certified list of voters.

There is a QR code and a link on the New York Philippine Consulate’s website to register for online voting.

Comelec also suggested “test voting” or practicing how to vote online, which is available until April 12.  The  goal is to have a 70% voter turnout, out of the 1.2 million registered overseas voters.

The joint venture of SMS and Sequent Tech won the bid to conduct internet online voting for 100 million Filipinos. The company is majority-owned (more than 60%) by Filipinos.  

“It makes it easier for people to vote, even in the comfort of their hot tub,” said Consul General Senen Mangalile jokingly but emphasizing the efficiency and orderly manner of online voting.

“The promise is this: Comelec built a system and I can assure you that it is user-friendly. Our promise as a Philippine foreign service post deputized on this election period is to do what we can, to disseminate the information and to make it easier for voters to enroll. Of course, that’s as far as we can go. If they will vote is up to them. If they will exercise their right of suffrage is up to them. But we will be sending the message that if you care for your country, you have to exercise the right to vote.”

Consul Ricarte Abejuela III explains the process of test voting: He said, “When voters pre-enroll, they can already practice voting, so they will become familiar with the system. And test voting is valid until April 12, the day before the actual start of elections. So iniiwasan po natin yong mga nangyayari dati pag papel pa ang balota. Mali mali ang pag accomplish sa balota kaya nasasayang ang boto nila. When the deadline is May 12, sometimes people mail their ballot on May 12, and we receive it a week after.”

“I think the most important step is to check that your name is truly on the registered list. Then the next step is to enroll,” said Ambassador and former consul general Mario de Leon.