OAVs have until 7 a.m. on Monday to cast ballots

The Philippine Embassy has reminded Filipino American overseas voters that they have until early Monday morning, May 13, to cast their ballots.

In a statement, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. said registered Filipino overseas voters in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and nearby areas have until 7 a.m. on Monday to participate in the elections by personally casting their ballots at the embassy.

Cuisia said the embassy will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and at 6 a.m. on Monday. He said ballots will no longer be accepted after 7 a.m.

While voting in the U.S. and other territories is done by mail, Cuisia said the Commission on Elections has allowed voters who have not received their ballots to personally claim and cast these in the embassy.

Cuisia said the Embassy has already reconstituted its electoral boards that will count ballots that are being received from Filipino voters in the U.S. Southeast as well as countries and territories under its jurisdiction, including Haiti, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla and Trinidad and Tobago.

“I urge you to choose your candidates wisely and to choose those who will assist the President in achieving the objectives he has set to improve the lives of Filipinos and to propel the country to higher economic growth in the years ahead,” the ambassador said in a video message.