11 April 2022 Dubai, UAE – The first day of the Overseas Voting in the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, yesterday, 10 April 2022, had a strong turnout, with many excited voters showing up as early as 7:00 AM The overseas voting period in Dubai and other Philippine service posts will be until 09 May 2022, the day of the national and local elections in the Philippines.

Polling started at 8:00 AM and lasted until 9:00 PM due to the steady stream of voters. Many took the opportunity to vote as it was a Sunday, a holiday for most of the OFs in Dubai and Northern Emirates.

Voters waited patiently in line and were led to the inside premises of the Consulate and the adjacent Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) before they could cast their ballot.

The first day of voting was held at the Consulate while there will be an additional polling venue at POLO beginning Tuesday, 13 April 2022.

Voters are constantly reminded to keep themselves cool and hydrated due to the high temperatures and dry weather during the day. The Consulate has assigned personnel to check on the voters’ health. Dubai Police were also on hand outside the Consulate to assist and monitor the crowd outside the Consulate. Only senior citizens, pregnant women and those with disabilities are given priority in voting. Voters are advised not to bring small children with them.

To vote, only those registered as overseas voters in Dubai are qualified to vote. overseas Filipinos are advised check if their name is in the Certified List of Overseas Voters (CLOV) for 2022 Elections at https://tinyurl.com/CLOVDubaiPCG. They also have to bring a valid ID as proof of identification. Proper dress code is also observed and voters are reminded to avoid electioneering such as wearing campaign shirts and other accessories, as there are prohibited. No appointment is necessary.

The Consulate and POLO are open for voting everyday, including weekends and holidays, from 10 April to 9 May 2022. The polling venues are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. except on the last day of the polling period which ends at 3:00 p.m., synchronized with the closing of the precincts in the Philippines at 7:00 p.m. Only those who are at the polling station before 8:00 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot. END