Amid difficulties, doubts OFWs will still vote during May polls


By LUCKY MAE F. QUILAO
Amid the usual inconveniences and doubts over the integrity of Philippine elections, some Filipinos abroad are still willing to go out of their way to vote in the coming May 2019 midterm polls, through the overseas absentee voting (OAV) system.
"I will definitely vote in the upcoming elections. It is one of the many rights that I always exercise —my right of suffrage. I always maintain that responsibility to vote even if I am out ot the country," said Rodemel Mar Maceda, 31, clinical auditor at Care National Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In an online correspondence with GMA News Online, Maceda said he had even asked his employer for a few hours off to vote in the last presidential polls.
"May pasok kasi kami that time. So nagpaalam ako sa quality improvement director namin na sasaglit ako sa embassy para bumoto," said Maceda, who is also the executive board member of the Filipino Nurses Society in Saudi Arabia-Philippine Nurses Association Riyadh Chapter.
Ian Morente, 30, lead hand mechanic at Coates Hire in Australia, is also still going to vote.
"Boboto [pa rin] ako. I'm not sure kung ma-count ba yung boto ko. Maraming napabalitang dayaan at anomalya sa previous government. Pero sa ngayon, umaasa at naniniwala ako sa gobyerno ngayon na mabibiliang nila yung boto ko," the current president of the Filipino Australian Community Integration Organization (FACIO) said in an online interview.
Likewise, Acezumi Javier, who has been working abroad for a decade, is also still going to vote.
"Tatlong beses na akong bumoto dito sa Kuwait at isang beses nang naging [poll] watcher," said the 36-year-old call center agent in Kuwait.
In an online interview, he said he is still confident in the integrity of overseas absentee voting (OAV).
"Counted naman lahat. Di naman lahat nang isinulat ko eh panalo pero karamihan lumabas," he admitted.
What bothers him, however, is the situation of his fellow OFWs in the Muslim country.
"I've been a rescuer dati pero itinigil namin dahil walang malakas na sandalan lalona't hindi natin bansa. Sana yun ang pagtuunan ng pansin sa mga OFW," he said. —LBG, GMA News

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