Filipinos in Oman cast votes

MUSCAT: Filipinos in the Sultanate of Oman can now cast their votes for the 2022 national elections. The overseas voting for the 2022 Philippine national and local elections started on Monday (April 10), which will continue till May 9.

In an interview with Oman Observer, Philippine Ambassador Imelda Panolong, called upon the Filipino community members in the Sultanate of Oman to exercise their vote and make their voice heard. She said, “Filipinos should take this opportunity to vote. It is not just for us, the present generation, but also for the future of the next generation. If we vote for the right person to lead our country, the benefits of the vote we cast will be felt for the generations to come. So it is very important for all of us to vote.”

Recently, the embassy announced that it is conducting a mapping of the Filipinos in the Sultanate of Oman. The Ambassador said, “we have been wanting to do a mapping of the Filipino community for many years now. Although it is difficult to get everyone on board, it is important for us to get their details and the actual numbers of Filipinos in the country. With that information we can easily disseminate such information. This is also important when we have to evacuate people in an emergency situation. With correct data we will have an idea how many people are there, so we can come up with a contingency plan based on actual figures.”

“And since it is the election period, we also need to know how many Filipinos are staying in areas outside Muscat who are registered voters. If we get the actual figures, we would know if we need to go and send people there to conduct the voting. Filipinos in those far-flung areas need not come to Muscat to vote,” she said. The embassy plans to hold elections in Salalah and Duqm, they are just waiting for some administrative requirements.

“For areas that are not really far from Muscat, like Sur or Nizwa, we would request our ‘kababayans’ (fellow Filipinos) to come to the Embassy and vote. Anyway, it's a one-month exercise and we are open on weekends, so they can plan their trip to Muscat,” the Ambassador added.

The ambassador made an important announcement. “To our kababayans who are registered in other countries (except Philippines) and are currently in Oman now, but failed to transfer their records, they can do so by accomplishing a transfer form, available at the embassy’s website, and submit by April 30. The embassy will then send the form to the Commission on Elections to act on it, hopefully, before May 9, so that they can vote.”

The voting at the Philippine Embassy is open daily from April 10 until May 9, including Fridays and Saturdays, from 8 AM to 5 PM. Registered Filipino overseas voters in Oman are requested to bring a copy of their Philippine passport and/or an identification document with verifiable photo and signature while voting. The certified list of Overseas Voters for Oman may be viewed on the website of the Embassy (muscatpe.dfa.gov.ph) and is posted at the bulletin board of the Embassy's Consular Section. Overseas voting in Oman for the 2022 Philippine national and local elections will close on May 9 at 3 PM.