Dubai: Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes announced on Tuesday night that the consulate will extend its voting hours to encourage more Filipinos to participate in the last few days of the month-long Overseas Voting.
Cortes said that the consulate will extend its voting timings from 8am to midnight from May 5 to 8. On the last day of voting on May 9, the consulate will serve voters from 5am to 1pm.
The announcement was made following consultations with leaders of the Filipino community.
The consulate previously operated its polling precincts daily, covering 13 hours from 8am to 9pm. However, as of May 3, only 27,100 voters or 22.3 per cent of the 122,185 registered voters in Dubai and the northern emirates have participated in the polls.
"We have decided that we will extend the voting hours on May 5 to 8 all the way till midnight. On May 9 we will be open from 5am to 1pm. This is an effort to accommodate all the last minute voters or the surge [of voters] that we expect would come as the Overseas Voting comes to a close," Cortes said.
Some 95,000 have yet to vote in Dubai and the northern emirates.
Every six years, Filipinos back home and around the world get to elect their country’s top leaders.
More than one million registered Filipinos around the world are expected to cast their votes for a president, vice president 12 senators and a party list group.
