3-day training on OAV registration held in Italy

The training which was attended by 53 participants from 26 European and one Middle Eastern Foreign Service posts, aims to register one million overseas absentee voters in Europe.

 

It was supervised by Commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco, who is also the chairman of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting.

 

The first two days were centered on theories and lectures while the last day was devoted to hands-on training.

 

Consul General Lourdes Tabamo welcomed the COMELEC officials and participants, and thanked the poll body for the opportunity to host the regional training.

 

In his opening remarks, Sarmiento emphasized the need to encourage overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to vote. 

 

He also stressed the need to motivate overseas Filipino voters to have greater participation and representation in the country’s political process.

 

Senator Gringo Honasan and Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe paid a visit and addressed the participants on the third day..

 

Certificates of appreciation from the COMELEC were awarded to the participants during the closing ceremony.

 

The OAV registration regional training was part of the COMELEC’s priority preparations for the next computerized polls in 2013.