In 2003, Republic Act 9189 (Overseas Absentee Voting Law) was enacted. More than 350,000 Filipinos overseas registered to vote in the 2004 Presidential Elections and 65% of these registered voters actually voted. They trooped to the Philippine embassies and consulates throughout the world in order that their voices may be heard.

      In the 2007 Senatorial and Party-list Elections, only 20% of the almost half-a million registered overseas absentee voters actually voted. The main reason for the low turn-out of voters was the mobility of the Filipino workforce abroad. In most instances, contract workers had only two (2) or three (3) year-contracts with their employers and after 2004, they appear to have either gone back to the Philippines or relocated to other countries. Admittedly, the transfer of their registration records from the original place of registration abroad to where they now reside is farthest from their minds.

      Observers note that the 2010 Presidential Elections promises to be a more "exciting" one than the recently-concluded mid-term elections. The Commission shall cleanse and update the records of overseas absentee voters and by 2009, it will embark once again on the resumption of the continuing overseas absentee voting registration.

      In the meantime, there is still the pressing need to address the issue of enfranchisement of as many overseas voters as possible. From personal voting as the primary mode of voting in the 2004 elections, the Commission expanded the coverage of voting by mail in 2007 with the hope of reaching registered voters who live far from the embassies and consulate. Albeit with encouraging outcome, voting by mail still proved to be costly as the voters had to pay postage for their ballots to reach the Philippine embassies/consulates which have jurisdiction over the places where they reside.

      The field of overseas absentee voting remains a fertile ground for improvements in the area of translating prospective votes into actual votes. How can the votes of mobile OFWs be captured altogether and yet preserve and maintain the sanctity of the ballot?

      In this regard, the OAV law allows the Commission to study electronic means of voting (Section 16.11, RA 9189) and mandates, if feasible, that counting and canvassing be automated (Section 18.7, RA 9189). It is in this spirit that the Commission will conduct a pilot-study in internet voting to be conducted for overseas absentee voters in Singapore from July 20 to August 8. It shall be a secured internet voting which will feature the technology developed by the Barcelona-based IT firm, SCYTL.

      For months, the technology had been made to tailor-fit the needs of the Philippine overseas absentee electorate in Singapore which is the hub of information technology in this part of the world. The project will be formally launched at 10:00am on 20 July 2007 at the Philippine Embassy grounds in Singapore to be graced by no less than Chairman Benjamin S. Abalos, Commissioner Florentino A. Tuason, Jr. who is the Chairman of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COAV) of the Commission, Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis of the DFA and Ambassador Belen F. Anota. Commissioner Romeo S. Brawner shall also grace the occasion.

      The pilot study, dubbed I-Vote, shall allow the registered overseas absentee voters of Singapore to vote practically from anywhere - from their homes, offices, schools, or internet cafes. Even registered voters who are not in Singapore and based in other countries or in the Philippines may vote through this system. The Philippine Embassy shall also provide computer facilities with internet connection where its clients may be requested to participate in the mock elections. Dedicated PCs shall also be set-up for practice voting.

      The registered voters shall simulate the voting of 12 Senators from a roster of Philippine national heroes and a Party-List organization/sector from a list of known Philippine bands. After voting, the voters will be requested to participate in the "Assessment Survey" that will evaluate the effectiveness of internet voting as a whole. Skeptics are even invited to hack the system just to prove that indeed, the system and its security features work.

      To drum up participation in the pilot study, Philippine remittance companies based in Singapore namely the PNB, Metrobank and IRemit committed to give one-time free remittance of money to the Philippines to all registered voters who will participate in the mock elections. On the other hand, those who voted and also participated in the "Assessment Survey" thereafter will have the opportunity to win any of the prizes for raffle : 2 laptop computers, 5 IPod Nanos, 13 cellular phones (10 of which are Motorola cell phones) and 500 I-Vote shirts. Winners shall be computer-generated and the names will be posted both at the websites of COMELEC and the Philippine Embassy in Singapore.

      With the perceived success of the pilot-study on internet voting, automation of the Philippine overseas absentee voting shall soon become a reality. Should the mock elections succeed, the coming 2010 Presidential Elections can be another milestone in the history of Philippine elections.