Overseas voting begins in UAE: Hundreds of Filipinos turn up in Dubai on first day of vote

  DUBAI – Hundreds of Filipinos in Dubai and northern emirates turned up at the Philippine Consulate General as the overseas voting for the 2022 Philippine elections began on Sunday (April 10). Dozens of people were seen lining up outside the consulate even before polls opened on Sunday morning. Watch the coverage here: “Some of them were in the queue even before we started at 8am,” Philippine Consul General Renato Dueñas told Expatmedia.net. Dueñas said the turnout on the first day of voting was very good, with “many already cast their ballots”. “It’s nice to see so many people really eager to exercise their right to vote,” the consul general said, “So you can say the democracy is really alive and Filipinos here in Dubai they care deeply about their country and they want to have their own voice heard.” ALSO READ: 1,391 Filipinos vote in Dubai on first day of overseas voting Among those who queued up early was Joanah Taladua Pusta, a 46-year-old Filipina who has been a resident in Dubai in the last 13 years. Pusta told Expatmedia.net that she waited in line since 7:45am, and that she was able to cast her vote after four hours due to crowd limits inside the consulate. The Filipina said this was the third time she participated in the overseas vote. “Casting our vote is a national responsibility,” she said. “The necessity to elect the next leaders of the Philippines exhibits our deep understanding that we are part of our motherland though we are working and living abroad. The future of our children and the next generation depends on how wisely we choose our leaders,” Pusta told Expatmedia.net. The month-long overseas voting for the 2022 Philippine elections runs until May 9. Overseas Filipinos will vote for national positions: president, vice president, senators, and party-list groups. In Dubai and the northern emirates, there are 191,779 registered Filipino voters, which is the highest number in the region, said Vice Consul Elizabeth Ramos.

Overseas voting in UAE: How to vote

1. Check if your name is in the registered voters list, which is on the website of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai (for voters in Dubai and northern Emirates), or the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi (for voters in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain). 2. Visit the Philippine Embassy or Philippine Consulate from 8am to 9pm daily until May 9, or from 8am to 3pm on May 9. 3. There is no need to book an appointment. 4. Bring any government issued ID, such as your passport or your Emirates ID. PIA/ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube 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