PCGNY.net | News Release

NY Consulate steps up registration in closing days of OAV registration: Conducts 7 field registration in October in partnership with Fil-Am group

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE - NEWS RELEASE
14 November 2006

NEW YORK --- The Philippine Consulate General in New York reported to the Department that it stepped up its registration efforts in the closing days of the OAV registration period. According to Consul General Cecilia Rebong, the Consulate General conducted a record seven (7) field registration activities for the month of October alone, which was also the last month of the OAV registration period. These were in Milford, Connecticut on October 15; Queens, New York on October 21; Toms River, New Jersey, on October 22; Boston, Massachusetts on October 27; Jersey City and Bergenfield, New Jersey, simultaneously on October 28; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 29.

Consul General Rebong also reported that the New York Consulate partnered with the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)-Eastern Region in conducting the field registration activities in an effort to reach out to more Filipinos under its consular jurisdiction. She noted, however, that in Boston another Filipino-American also helped in the OAV registration drive. This was the Pilipino-American Association of New England, Inc. (PAMAS)

Consul General Rebong said that NaFFAA-Eastern Region agreed to support the Consulate General’s OAV field registration drive because the exercise dovetailed with the association’s objective of politically empowering Filipinos in the United States.

In each of the field registration drives, a consular team headed by a consular officer accepted and processed applications for overseas absentee voting. Due to insistent public demand, however, the consular teams ended up rendering full consular service.

Consul General Cecilia Rebong reported that the final tally of registrants was more than double from the last OAV registration. She attributed the increase in the number of registrants to several factors, namely, the decision by the Philippine Supreme Court to remove the residency requirement among dual citizens; the support of local Fil-Am groups such as NaFFAA and PAMAS in the OAV registration drive; and relentless efforts by the Post to promote OAV among members of the Filipino community.

However, Consul General Rebong also reported on some problems that the New York Post encountered during the registration. “Foremost of these problems was the legendary apathy or indifference of the Filipino toward everything that does not directly threaten him, his family or property,” said the Consul General.” “Even when an OAV team was virtually right within their doorstep through the mechanism of field registration, members of the Filipino community were generally noted to be still foot-dragging when it comes to OAV registration,” the Consul General added. Other problems reportedly involved the Affidavit of Intention to Return, Voting-by-Mail still being disallowed in the U.S., and too many forms (and fields in the forms) to be filled up.

Consul General Rebong said, “I sincerely hope that questions about the Affidavit of Intention to Return and Voting-by-Mail can be resolved soon.” “Resolution of these issues would certainly encourage more of our kababayans to register for OAV,” she added.