UAE’s Filipino expats await election outcome as polls close

Rita Bemida, right, and Liberty Samson Agunos are briefed before voting at the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Dozens of voters and poll-watchers gathered at the Philippine embassy on Monday night as officials tallied their votes in the country’s national elections.

Back in their home country, Rodrigo Duterte held the lead over his rivals as votes were counted amid poll-related violence in the Philippines that left at least 10 people dead. The mayor of Davao City with a pledge to fight crime and reduce traffic had 38.7 per cent of 12.6 million votes, with 75 per cent of polling stations reporting. He was followed by rival Mar Roxas, in second place, and senator Grace Poe.

After polls in the UAE closed at 1pm, Constancio Vingno Jr, the Philippine ambassador to the UAE, said the secure digital (SD) cards containing votes cast would be uploaded in a canvassing machine and copies printed. The votes would be consolidated with those cast at 12 poll precincts at the Philippine consulate in Dubai.

“We will be canvassing, or consolidating, the contents of each SD card which are the election returns or the votes cast over the past month,” said Mr Vingno, who served the chairman of the special board of canvassers.

“We will then back up the SD cards and transmit the votes electronically to the Commission on Elections in Manila.”

The number of voters arriving to cast their ballots was a little more than a trickle between 5am and 6am, while a massive last-minute surge of voters began at 11am until polls closed at 1pm.

One of the early bird voters, Lucrecio About Jr, 54, a marine weather forecaster in Abu Dhabi for seven years, cast his vote shortly after 6am.

“I’m a third-time voter,” he said. “Here in the UAE, our work is our top priority but it’s still our civic duty to vote. I’ve been weighing my choices and looking at the other candidates’ credentials and platforms.”

Of 72,661 Filipinos who had registered at the Abu Dhabi embassy, 24,137 voted, according to Manila’s foreign affairs department. The votes were to be consolidated with ballots cast at the consulate in Dubai. Officials said 38,008 of the 122,953 registered voters from Dubai and the Northern Emirates had voted in Dubai.

There were five candidates for president, six candidates for vice-president, 50 senatorial candidates and 115 party-list groups. Voters chose 12 senators and one party-list group, which represented certain sectors.

“I’ve just been too busy,” said Rodelio Areglo, 36, a procurement officer in Abu Dhabi. “I just want to exercise my right to vote, just like everyone else here.”

Voting was a family affair for some, as several parents cast their votes with children in tow.

Shiela Francisco, 41, a laboratory technician, queued with her husband Christopher, 41, and their 19-month-old daughter Angela Heart, .

“We’re voting for the future of our children,” she said. “I’ve been here for eight years and my husband and I don’t usually participate in the elections. But we’re now here to make a difference, to elect good leaders for our country.”

The poll was the fifth that Filipinos overseas had been allowed to take part in since they were granted voting rights in 2004. Results are expected to be announced on Tuesday.

* With additional reporting by Bloomberg