09 May 2022 – The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait announced today that after thirty (30) days since the start of Overseas Voting (OV) last 10 April 2022, voter turnout has breached the twenty-three thousand (23,000) mark, or a total of 23,864 votes. The 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE) voter-turnout has surpassed all past milestones in Kuwait’s overseas voting history, as it exceeded the voter-turnout in the 2004 (9,805), 2010 (5,259), 2016 (12,295) Presidential Elections and 2007 (2,517), 2013 (3,203) and 2019 (15,558) Senatorial and Party-list Elections.
“As we all witness, Filipinos here in Kuwait came in groups to vote, in order to have a voice and reshape the political landscape in the Philippines. We have already surpassed the voter turnouts in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 making this 2022 National and local election the highest ever in the history of overseas voting in Kuwait. Our Kababayans in Kuwait have proven their democratic maturity and nationalism.” said Ambassador Mohd. Noordin Pendosina N. Lomondot.
The Embassy’s COMELEC-deputized personnel have encouraged voters to inform their relatives, friends and loved ones to visit the Embassy to exercise their right to suffrage.
“I would like to thank the Embassy’s indefatigable officers and staff who were deputized by COMELEC to ensure that our Kababayans will exercise their right to vote. I would also like to thank the watchers who cooperated with our OV team in performing their tasks. Thank you to our media partners as well as the bloggers/vloggers that covered the election period creating OV awareness to Filipinos in Kuwait further supporting the Embassy’s omni-media OV campaign. Sincere appreciation is also given to the volunteers and community leaders that have assisted the Embassy during the 30-day voting period. The collaboration and unity among everyone in ensuring that we have an orderly, safe and peaceful elections in Kuwait is praiseworthy that should be emulated by everyone. Mabuhay po kayong lahat. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” Ambassador Lomondot added.
Canvasing and transmittal of election results to the Philippines followed after the last voter have casted the ballot.
The significant number of Filipinos during the OV is attributed to the Embassy’s intensified OV omni-media campaign, where all possible platforms and avenues to disseminate information has been utilized. The Embassy tapped its media partners like Kuwait-based Pinoy Arabia ME, JASS Online Radio, MEGA Love Radio, AIM 101 Broadcast, GMA Network, ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC), and UNTV among others, as well as print media partners like The Times News, The Arab Times, Kuwait Times, and Bloggers/vloggers like “OFW si BESS”, “The Morning Talk”, “Pilipino sa Kuwait” etc. have also supported the Embassy’s OV omni-media campaign.
Requests for media appearances and interview were graciously accommodated by Embassy officials to encourage Filipinos in Kuwait to vote. Regular appeal and OV information dissemination to Filipino clients at the Consular Section as well as the Assistance to Nationals Section is being done as part of the OV omni-campaign.
As part of the Embassy’s OV omni-media campaign, Ambassador Lomondot’s OV appeal message was disseminated to more than 200 FILCOM/FILORG thru their leaders to further encourage Filipinos to vote. The same messages were disseminated to other media partners, including vloggers and bloggers which was also uploaded in their social media sites. The Embassy carried DFA-OVS and COMELEC’s battle cry/slogan throughout this election period: “Let’s continue to strengthen our democracy. It’s our right and duty. LET US VOTE!’ (Patuloy natin patatagin ang ating demokrasya. Atin itong karapatan at tungkulin. HALINA’T BUMOTO!) as well as COMELEC’s election slogan: Vote S.A.F.E. Pilipinas 2022 National and Local Elections all over cyberspace via various social networking sites. S.A.F.E. stands for Secure Accurate Free And Fair Elections.all over cyberspace via various social networking sites. END
