IMPORTANT ADVISORY FOR FILIPINO OVERSEAS VOTERS IN KOREA

By: Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Seoul

• The Philippine Embassy in Seoul wishes to inform the members of the Filipino community in South Korea that, due to public demand and the large volume of mailing packets (containing the blank ballot from COMELEC, security seal and voting instructions) returned by the post office to the Philippine Embassy because of incomplete/incorrect/not updated addresses provided by the registered voters to the COMELEC, registered overseas voters are now requested to visit the Philippine Embassy in Seoul as soon as possible on or before 13 May 2019 (cut-off time is 5pm) to pick-up their respective mailing packets. To claim their respective mailing packets personally at the Philippine Embassy, registered overseas voters are requested to bring proof of identification to the Philippine Embassy (e.g. Passport, Alien Registration Card or Voter�?s I.D. issued by the COMELEC).

• For those registered overseas voters who are unable to visit the Philippine Embassy because they are working or residing outside Seoul, they are requested to inform the Philippine Embassy as soon as possible of their correct/complete mailing addresses with postal codes (in Korean language) so that the Philippine Embassy can send the mailing packets to them through the post office. (Example: ?? ??? ??? ??? 3 ? 30 304 ? 30174). The email address of the Philippine Embassy is ovformailing@philembassy-seoul.com. The Philippine Embassy will accept requests for mailing only until 26 April 2019 so that there will be sufficient time for mailing.

• The Embassy wishes to underscore, however, that the mode of voting for South Korea as prescribed by COMELEC is still Automated Postal Voting. Under this voting method, the voter can accomplish the ballot at the Voting Area at the Embassy. The accomplished ballot must be enclosed in the accompanying return envelope, and the voter must place the sealed ballot in the designated Ballot Receptacle at the Embassy. Unlike during the 2016 Elections, the Automated Postal Voting mode set by COMELEC this year does not allow the voter to personally feed the ballot into the Vote Counting Machine (VCM). The received ballot envelopes shall be opened by COMELEC-deputized Embassy officials only on Mondays and Thursdays, starting at 0900H, for feeding into the VCM.

• For those who will pick-up, accomplish, and drop-off their ballots at the Embassy, we have designated an Overseas Voting (OV) room at the 2nd floor of the chancery. Please note that only the voter is allowed inside the OV room. Further, no photos or videos are allowed to be taken inside the OV room.

Thank you for your cooperation.