KUWAIT: Filipinos thronged to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait yesterday to cast their votes, concluding a month-long overseas absentee voting (also known as OAV) process. Filipinos here were allowed to cast their votes until 2 pm yesterday, corresponding to 7pm in Manila, a time synchronized with the end of the Philippine Election Day.

Filipino Administrative Officer Taja Guinomla, the Chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors, which was tasked with overseeing the overall election process in Kuwait reported a 26 percent turnout, from the total 20,256 registered voters. In the Philippines, the Commission on Election (Comelec), an election state agency, predicted an 85 percent turnout.

Based on our records, we garnered 5,258 Filipinos who officially participated in the overseas absentee voting in Kuwait. We are happy at this turnout. This is fine since this trend was not unique to Kuwait but shared by different overseas Philippine population," he asserted.

According to Guinomla, the low turnout could be blamed mostly on the fact that many registered voters have already returned home to the Philippines for good, although he added, "It could also be that employers won't permit their workers to leave their jobs.

Filipinos overseas were allowed to vote for their choice of president, vice president, 12 senators and a party list representative. Guinomla thanked all the Philippines Embassy officials and Filipinos in Kuwait for their cooperation and enthusiasm demonstrated during the month-long voting period.

It's a long procedure, but we managed to conclude voting without hassles," he said. "There were some glitches like for some who came and were denied the opportunity to cast their votes because their names were not included in the official list of voters.

Guinomla admitted that thousands of names were deliberately omitted from the official list of voters by the Comelec, after those individuals failed to vote for two consecutive OAVs.

We started the OAV in 2004, but we conducted national elections in 2007," he explained. "If you failed to vote in two elections, the Comelec will automatically erase your name from the list of absentee voters.

Canvassing or counting of votes started immediately after the closure of the five precincts (based at the Philippine Embassy) in Kuwait. The canvassing of vote is expected to be concluded by early this morning, May 11.

Nine candidates are vying for the highest position in the nation, with Binigno 'Noynoy' Aquino Jr. apparently winning the hearts and votes of many Filipinos in Kuwait based on a partial and unofficial tally relayed to the Kuwait Times by Guinomla as of 6pm last night.

Villanueva came second, with former president Joseph Estrada and administration candidate Gilbert 'Gibo' Teodoro coming third and fourth respectively. (The official result of absentee voting in Kuwait will be published tomorrow).

This year's Philippine Election has been a historic event, allowing voting via an automated system for the first time in the country's history. The election result for the national positions will be announced two days after the voting closed, promised the state election body. - Kuwait Times