OPEN Letter to our Migrant Families on Urgent Appeal on Absentee Voting Bill

Amsterdam, January 14, 2002

 

Mga Magulang at Mga Kapatid!

We urgently need your participation in our campaign to ensure the passage of the legislation of Overseas Voting during this Session of Congress which has convened on January 14th, 2002. Our successful campaigning efforts have succeeded in putting the Absentee Voting Bill high on the legislative agenda of this 12th Congress.

The Bill being deliberated in the House of Representatives and in the Senate substantively reflects our position that all Overseas Filipinos be enabled to vote and that the appropriate mechanisms be put in place to facilitate the proper conduct and implementation of Absentee Voting. For our part, we have committed ourselves to co-operation with the COMELEC and the Philippine Embassies as well as to mobilisation of the Filipino migrant community organisations and other international organisations to ensure the integrity of the voting process.

At this stage the Bill has run into difficulties and delays despite the fact that active support for the passage of the Bill has been publicly given by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Speaker of the House, Honourable Jose de Venecia and Senate President, Honourable Franklin Drilon as well as by many individual Congress Representatives and Senators.

In order to be implemented in time for the 2004 Election, it is essential that the Bill will be passed within the period of this session of the Congress – that is on or before May 2002 at the latest. Then the COMELEC can complete all the necessary preparations for our participation in Elections 2004.

This is why we need your immediate action! We believe that if each of our migrant families writes an Urgent Appeal to the Congress and Senate that this will really make the crucial difference in achieving the immediate passage of the Bill. We are enclosing a "Model Appeal" so you can use it, as you think best. Please also ask your neighbours or your Parish Priest or Parish Minister to also write a similar letter. The Urgent Appeal should be sent separately to Senate President, Honourable Franklin Drilon; the Speaker of the House, Honourable Jose de Venecia and to the Congress Representative in your district by post or by fax.

The main points to stress are:

  • Overseas Voting is a non partisan and non party political issue
  • Suffrage delayed is Suffrage Denied
  • Panahon Na! Pass the Absentee Voting Bill Now! Give us Overseas Voting in 2004!

On behalf of the Platform of Filipino Migrant Organisations in Europe

Signed by the Platform Council Members

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For Urgent Attention of : Speaker of the House, Honourable Jose de Venecia

Congress Representative …………………

Re: Immediate Passage of the Absentee Voting Bill

Honorable Jose de Venecia

Speaker of the House

House of Representatives

Batasang Pambansa

Queson City, Philippines

Tel/fax: 63 2 9325258/63 2 9316437

 

Dear Honorable Members of the Philippine 12th Congress

We have been following the developments concerning the tabling and processing of the Overseas Voting Bill in Congress. We actively support the campaign of our children, relatives and Kababayans abroad in demanding the immediate passage of the Bill. It is a constitutional and fundamental right to be able to vote and participate in elections. Despite this, our Overseas families have been denied the right to exercise their vote for 14 years. Now is the time for you to act and pass the Bill by the end of this current Session of Congress, on or before May 2002.

  • Overseas Voting is a non partisan and non party political issue
  • Suffrage delayed is Suffrage Denied
  • Panahon Na! Pass the Overseas Voting Bill Now! Overseas Voting in 2004 !

 

 

Signature: _________________________

Address: ___________________________

 

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

 

For Urgent Attention of: Senate President, Honourable Franklin Drilon

Re: Immediate Passage of the Absentee Voting Bill

Senate President, Honourable Franklin Drilon

Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel/Fax: 63 2 5512993

Dear Honourable Members of the Philippine 12th Congress,

We have been following the developments concerning the tabling and processing of the Overseas Voting Bill in Congress. We actively support the campaign of our children, relatives and Kababayans abroad in demanding the immediate passage of the Bill. It is a constitutional and fundamental right to be able to vote and participate in elections. Despite this, our Overseas families have been denied the right to exercise their vote for 14 years. Now is the time for you to act and pass the Bill by the end of this current Session of Congress, on or before May 2002.

  • Overseas Voting is a non partisan and non party political issue
  • Suffrage delayed is Suffrage Denied
  • Panahon Na! Pass the Overseas Voting Bill Now! Overseas Voting in 2004!

Signature: _________________________

Address: ___________________________