MANILA -- Some groups have expressed concern that technical and other issues encountered in the online voting system, which began last April 13, could result in the disenfranchisement of some overseas Filipino voters.

According to Migrante International, many OFWs were still unaware of the internet voting process, which it blamed on supposed inadequate information dissemination. This was echoed by other OFW groups in Hong Kong, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

“Marami pa ring registered voters ang hindi nakakaalam ng online voting system, na kailangan nilang mag-register or pre-enroll para sila makaboto, kahit pa sila ay registered voters sa online. Sinimulan nila ‘yung pre-enrollment process noong March 20, ilang linggo lang bago nagsimula ang online voting noong April 13. So hindi sapat ‘yung panahon na ‘yan para ma-inform ang ating mga kababayan na hindi sila pwedeng bumoto kung hindi sila nag-pre-enroll,” Migrante International’s Josie Pingkihan said.

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“Walang massive and active information dissemination. Nakaasa lang sa posting sa FB page ang konsulado… kaya maraming hindi aware na online na at wala nang manual voting,” Bayan Muna Hong Kong’s Lai Besana added.

“Ang pinakamalaking issue na hinaharap ng overseas voters dito ‘yung talagang kulang at late ang outreach para sa voter education. Given na bagong Sistema ito, ‘yung online voting, ang outreach ng konsulado at embahada dito sa US ay kulang-kulang. Maraming hindi alam kung paano gumawa ng account, at ang outreach ng mga konsulado at embahada ay puro sa social media lamang at late na rin ito. Limitado ang email at iba pang mga porma ng outreach. Maraming hindi pa alam na kailangan nilang gumawa ng mga accounts. Maraming naghihintay pa para sa kanilang mga balota. At ang konsulado ngayon ay umaasa na lamang sa community organization para mag-outreach sa mga botante,” Malaya Movement USA Tabs Ponciano also said.

Under the Comelec online voting scheme, overseas voters must also be enrolled into the new system so that the poll body can confirm their identities and send them personal identification numbers that are among the safety features, when casting their votes online.

But a number of overseas Filipino voters reported encountering difficulties in pre-enrolling online and other technical issues.

Comelec says no glitch in overseas voting

“Panay ang error sa biometrics. Lalu na sa identification ng passport at ng face. So inaabutan na ng timeout na 5 minutes ang mga OFW at kailangan sagutan lahat. Kung hindi naman nagagawa ay magba-back to zero na naman. Naiirita na ‘yung mga OFW natin dahi kalahating araw na, hindi pa rin sila nakaka-register sa pre-enrollment. Isa pa, ‘yung OTP na kailangan ay late na dumarating,” Pingkihan said.

Ponciano showed a video of a male Filipino voter in Los Angeles, who recorded his experience.

“Ito lang isang video, ipinapakita ‘yung kanilang experience na pag subukan kumuha ng picture, isa siyang voter taga-Los Angeles, California. Nakita niya naglo-loading ang website pero hindi siya naka-go to the next step. Maraming ganito ang experience,” she explained.

“‘Yung pag-open ng pre-enrollment, sira-sira ‘yung links. Ito ‘yung comments section ng konsulado ng San Francisco, na maraming nag-comment na hindi nakikita ‘yung link, hindi available, or hindi gumagana ‘yung link pag kinlick nila,” Ponciano added.

“Ang issue is ‘yung pagkuha ng photo ng kanilang identification. So pag nagpapapicture ng ID card or ng passport, marami ang nakakakita ng mga mensahe na ito na low quality ang images or ‘yung browser nila hindi makapasa doon sa section na ‘yun. Maraming nahihirapan, nagche-change between sa kanilang phone, or sa kanilang laptop, kasi hindi sila maka-go to the next step from this point on, ‘yung pag-take ng picture ng kanilang ID,” she noted.

As of early April, only 58,000 of the 2 million overseas Filipino workers (OFW) have enrolled in the online voting system for the 2025 midterm elections.

Only 58,000 of 2 million OFWs enrolled in 2025 online voting system: Comelec

Some groups, meanwhile, complained that those who voted online could not visibly verify the names of the candidates they voted for. They questioned the supposed lack of transparency.

“Marami naman tayong mga kababayan na hindi rin coders, pero ang nakikita nila, o nare-receive nila after i-submit ‘yung kanilang boto, is itong 146-page code containing ‘yung ballot content. Ito ‘yung confirmation… Hindi siya klaro. Hindi naman siya totoong confirmation of voting. Ilegible siya for most people,” Ponciano said.

“Kailangan siguraduhin na may casted vote verification o in simpler terms, resibo, na makikita ng ating mga kababayan kung sino ang kabilang ibinoto, at hindi yung… code na hindi natin naiintindihan, kumbaga, mababasa lang siya ng computer,” Jona Yang of the Computer Professionals Union added.

The groups called on the Commission on Elections to extend of the May 7 deadline for the online pre-enrollment for online voting. They also urge the poll body to return the option of manual voting for OFWs encountering difficulties with the online voting process.

“Sana magkaroon din ng manual na pagboto nang hindi ma-disenfranchise ‘yung mga OFW na gustong bumoto,” Ryan Morales of Migrante International-UAE said.

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec’s internet voting system, but the High Court has yet to decide on the plea. 

While the Comelec is bound to abide by Supreme Court’s decision, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco earlier said that it would be difficult to revert back to physical or mail voting for OFWs. 

The Philippines will also have to spend P470 million if it reverts to physical voting for OFWs, Laudiangco said, noting that this is more than triple the current P100-million contract for online voting.