February 19, 2025, Intramuros – Philippine diplomats based in Canada led by Philippine Ambassador Maria Andrelita Austria (Ottawa), Consul General Angelica Escalona (Toronto), Consul General Emma Sarne (Calgary) and Consul General Gina Jamoralin (Vancouver) met with Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) George Erwin Garcia and other COMELEC officials on February 19, 2025 at the COMELEC Office in Intramuros to discuss issues related to the implementation of online voting mode for overseas Filipino voters for the upcoming midterm Philippine elections on May 12, 2025. Chairman Garcia was accompanied during the meeting by Commissioners Aimee Ferolino-Ampoloquio and Norina Tangaro-Casingal.
Ambassador Austria thanked Chairman Garcia and other COMELEC officials on behalf of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Consulates General in Canada for the opportunity to share issues and information aimed at the seamless implementation of the newest mode of voting ( online voting) introduced by COMELEC for Filipino overseas voters. Both parties underscored the need for early information campaign and dissemination to encourage all registered Filipino overseas voters in Canada to pre-enroll starting March 20, 2025 up to May 7, 2025 to cast their votes online starting April 13,2025 until May 12, 2025.
The COMELEC call was held on the sidelines of the MOU signing between the DFA and the COMELEC on the implementation of Philippine overseas voting abroad for the upcoming May 2025 elections. DFA Undersecretary Jesus S. Domingo and Chairperson of the DFA-Overseas Voting Secretariat signed on behalf of the DFA and delivered a speech. END
