'Titillate, excite overseas Pinoys to boost OAV turnout'

The dismal number of Filipinos who registered for the overseas absentee voting (OAV) might be an indication that they are bored with the roster of candidates in the 2010 elections. Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Center, a migrant advocacy group, said presidential candidates need to inspire overseas Filipinos to vote next year. “That is a roadblock that has to be addressed by the politicians," Ople said at a press conference at the Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, “They have to titillate and excite voters." Citing her talks with the Filipino community abroad, Ople said there is a prevailing “deeply rooted cynicism" among voters who doubt if their ballots would effect change in the government. In a separate GMANews.TV interview, Ople said she has not seen a presidential candidate who would genuinely push for reforms in the migrant labor sector. “Hilaw pa sila (They’re not yet ripe)," she said. Many Filipinos overseas have not shown much enthusiasm in participating in the upcoming presidential elections in the country. As of Wednesday, only 200,637 of them registered as absentee voters, a far-cry from the 361,457 who registered in the 2004 national elections. The number of overseas absentee voters dropped further in the 2007 midterm elections where only 142,667 registered. Filipino migrant groups such as Migrante claimed that the poor turnout was a clear manifestation of the public’s distrust on the conduct of elections in the country after the ‘Hello Garci’ vote-rigging controversy broke out in 2005. “Politicians must break this dark spell of cynicism because many of our compatriots abroad think that despite their vote, nothing would change." In a study by German researchers published by the Center for Migrants’ Advocacy, it was noted that the essential principles of electoral participation as well as equality before the law were held by Filipino migrants in high esteem. Apathy But the study found out that while migrants were determined to exercise their democratic right to vote, they also became more critical of the Philippines after having been abroad. “I myself am a Filipino, but I don’t give a damn about this country," a 24-year-old respondent based in Dubai was quoted saying. Ellene Sana, director of the CMA, said it was easier for Filipino migrants to start pointing fingers than actually contributing something to better their condition. According to her, true reforms would only be achieved if overseas Filipinos would make their voices heard in the 2010 elections. “It’s easy to put the blame on the government," Sana said in the same press conference," But they should also be asked, ‘Well what have you done to change it?’" With an estimated voting population of at least 6 million worldwide, overseas Filipinos could provide a “swing vote" if only they would all register and vote in Philippine elections. Ople said the 200,000 Filipinos who registered overseas could influence their relatives in the Philippines to vote for a candidate who is pro-migrant. “If there is a preferred pro-migrant candidate, about 2.4 million votes could be cast," she said. - GMANews.TV