2007 Elections

Arroyo to blame for low turn-out in Philippines overseas vote

MANILA — The country?s broadest alliance of OFWs and their families today laid the blame for the low OAV turn out on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

?If OFW voters are disillusioned and disenfranchised, it?s because of the Arroyo regime. In this regard, it is completely unjust for the DFA and the Comelec to even suggest thoughts of scrapping the OAV mechanism altogether. Given the boundless sacrifices OFWs endure to remit billions of dollars into the economy ? it?s downright dastardly for top Arroyo officials to even suggest this ?total disenfranchisement? of OFWs,? says Maita Santiago, Migrante International Secretary-General.

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In Buhangin, Missing Names, Low Turnout


Narito Prevendido Sr., 75, of Buhangin district, checks his tattered Comelec registration affidavit as he tries to find his name on the voters’ list. He eventuall got tired of looking. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel Hernani)

By Marietta Baste-Hernani
davaotoday.com

BUHANGIN, Davao City — As with other areas around the city, the missing names of voters was also a common complaint today at the Buhangin Elementary School and at the Dumanlas Elementary Schools, all in the second district.

In the 2004 elections, Jane Brave, 50, her husband Benedicto and their daughter Jenny were able to vote. But in today?s elections, only Benedicto?s name was on the voters? list at Precinct 1598-A.
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Disenfranchisement, vote-buying and intimidation mar Philippines election

MANILA — Whether it was a family from the posh Corinthian Gardens or urban poor residents of Tondo, Manila, the complaints were the same according to election watchdog Kontra Daya.

Many voters were disenfranchised on election day, the watchdog group said based on reports it received from the field. One voter from Corinthian Gardens complained that her name was ?deactivated? from the voter?s list because she allegedly did not vote in the previous two elections, a claim she disputed. A militant urban poor leader from Tondo was made to wait for four hours to vote after her name was found in a different polling precinct far from her barangay. Another family was instructed by the Comelec to go to a new polling precinct only to find out that the school was empty.
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