By: Nanju Francisco
Photos by: Von Francisco
Manama: The Philippine Embassy in Manama successfully held a briefing for Filipino community media representatives and influencers on Saturday, April 12, 2025. The session, which took place from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Sentro Rizal (Villa 4) within the Embassy premises, aimed to provide crucial information regarding the upcoming Overseas Voting for the May 2025 National Elections.
Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E. Anne Jalando-on Louis, spearheaded the briefing, emphasizing the importance of informed participation in the electoral process. She introduced the members of the Overseas Voting Team, led by Consul Bryan Jess Baguio, stating, “I’d like to introduce the members of the Overseas Voting Team led by Consul Bryan Jess Baguio, Chairperson of the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI). Just in case you have any questions, feel free to approach them.”
Ambassador Louis also made a direct appeal to the media and influencers, saying, “We want to really request for your assistance in helping us disseminate information about the ongoing pre-enrolment for the online Overseas Voting that will start tomorrow (April 13, 2025).”
She further elaborated on the key aspects of the online voting process, stressing, “There are three things that I would like to emphasize regarding the Overseas Voting: 1. You need to pre-register before you can vote online. 2. Pre-enrolment started on March 20 and will run until May 7, 2025. 3. This is the first time we are having online voting. Of course, it is very important to have a good internet connection. This is one of the requests of the Filipino communities abroad: to make the voting process easier, more accessible, hence the online Overseas Voting.”
During the briefing, key information regarding the Overseas Voting period was highlighted. Overseas Voting for the May 2025 National Elections will run from April 13 to May 12, 2025. It was also emphasized that the deadline for enrolment for Overseas Voting is May 7, 2024. Furthermore, it was made clear that in Bahrain, voting closes at 2:00 p.m. on May 12, 2025, which is equivalent to 7:00 p.m. Manila time.
Ambassador Louis also discussed the four categories of registered voters who, under Comelec guidelines, can receive assistance at the embassy: pregnant women, the elderly, illiterate individuals, and Persons With Disabilities. She added that the embassy will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays, during the election period.
“It is mandatory to pre-enrol to be able to participate in the online Overseas Voting,” Ambassador Louis stressed. “I am encouraging all registered voters here in the Kingdom of Bahrain to please pre-enrol so you can vote. Your vote counts for our country. Exercise your right to vote.”
The briefing served as a platform to inform the attendees about the overseas voting process, key dates, and guidelines to ensure the widespread dissemination of accurate information to the Filipino community in Bahrain. Representatives from the media, influencers and members of the Filipino community actively participated in the session.
Following the briefing, attendees were also invited to witness the Final Lockdown and Sealing of the Overseas Voting Counting System equipment, which took place at 4:00 p.m. on the same day. This provided an opportunity for the media and influencers to gain firsthand insight into the security measures in place for the electoral process.
The Philippine Embassy expressed its gratitude to the Filipino community media and influencers for their participation and their commitment to keeping the community informed and engaged in the democratic process. The Embassy believes that their support plays a vital role in ensuring a successful and well-informed overseas voting exercise.
