Vice President Binay to Congress: “Restore budget on overseas voting”

Philippine Vice President Binay appealing to the members of Congress to reinstate the 2015 national budget of Php89.6 million as allocation for the overseas absentee voting (OAV) registration.

Binay serves as Presidential Adviser on the Overseas Filipino Workers' Concerns, said that he is "deeply disappointed" on the decision of Department of Budget and Management to scrap allocation for OAV program.

"I am deeply disappointed by this development. Such a decision is a disservice to our millions of OFWs who help sustain our economy. It violates their constitutional right to vote and provisions of the Overseas Absentee Voting Act," VP Binay said.

He said that the DBM should explain how it came up with such a "unilateral and arbitrary decision."

During the hearing on budget in House of Representatives, Commission on Elections said its proposed budget for OAV registration was not included by DBM in poll body's 2015 budget in National Expenditure Program.

Overseas Absentee Voting Act recognizes right of every Filipino migrants to vote. It covers 10.5 million Filipinos across 238 countries all over the world.