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UAE: High voter turnout for Filipinos expected in May 2025 elections as ballots go online

However, some expats raised concerns that online voting can be manipulated or tampered with

More Filipinos in the UAE are expected to cast their votes in the Philippine midterm elections in May next year with the introduction of online voting that will be used for the first time, community leaders, migrant workers advocates, and academicians told Khaleej Times. They also called on the Philippine government to muster all resources to ensure the sanctity and security of the polls.

The announcement that internet voting will be used in the upcoming elections was made by the Philippine missions in the UAE on Wednesday. This paves the way for voters to cast their ballots using laptops, tablets, or mobile phones, doing away with the need to mark paper ballots.

Registered overseas Filipino voters will elect 12 senators and a party-list representative, but they have to pre-enrol on the Commission on Elections’ voting portal beginning February 27, 2025, to become eligible for online voting. In case of any issues, however, voting can still be cast physically at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate-General in Dubai, where voting can still be cast physically at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate-General in Dubai, where voting kiosks will be set up.

Significant advancement

Dubai-based migrant rights advocate Barney Almazar called the introduction of online voting for overseas Filipinos “a significant advancement in ensuring broader democratic participation in Philippine elections.”

“As an overseas voter for the last three Philippine elections, I see the new system being able to address long-standing challenges, such as accessibility and convenience, which have historically hindered overseas voters,” he added.

“In Dubai, there is a large population of more than 450,000 Filipino voters, but historically, only a small percentage of them have participated in overseas voting. In the 2019 midterm elections, less than 30 per cent of registered overseas voters from the Middle East cast their ballots, reflecting the barriers to participation,” added Almazar, who is also director at Gulf Law in the UAE, Philippines, UK, Portugal and USA.

“With the introduction of online voting, this trend can be reversed by offering a more accessible platform, especially for those away from the polling precincts,” he continued.

Rex Bacarra, Ph.D., university professor of Philosophy and Ethics based in Abu Dhabi, added: “I expect that more overseas Filipinos will vote in the upcoming elections now that voting is available online.”

“The convenience of being able to vote anywhere and anytime makes the process more accessible. This is particularly appealing to Filipinos in the UAE who have busy schedules and for those who live far from polling centres. With easier and more convenient access, a larger voter turnout from the Filipino community, not just in the UAE, but in other parts of the world, is expected,” he added.

Concerns about security breaches

Bacarra, however, also raised concern that online voting can be manipulated or tampered with. He told Khaleej Times: “With online voting, concerns about security breaches and potential manipulation or hacking – especially in the age of cybersecurity threats – are not just real but significant. This is why it should be thoroughly researched and carefully studied before being fully implemented. This is not just a concern about convenience or increased participation, but it is also, and perhaps primarily, an ethical concern.”

“It is important to implement strict security measures such as strong encryption, multi-level authentication, and an extremely reliable verification process to preserve the integrity of the polling system. We must not overlook the fact that this is a matter of trust. Do we trust the people behind it? Do they have integrity?,” he pointed out.

“Online polls democratise voting by allowing more people to participate but the challenge lies in determining stringent measures to ensure that the system is both secure and accessible. If done right, internet election can certainly enhance democratic participation globally,” Bacarra underscored.

Integrity of electoral process

For Filipino Social Club president Ericson Reyes, “the shift to online voting for the 2025 midterm elections is a significant move towards ensuring that more Filipinos can participate in shaping our nation’s future, without the inconvenience of long queues."

“However, this convenience mustn't come at the expense of security. The integrity of the voting process is highly important, and data protection must be a priority,” he highlighted.

Ronald Gamiao, president of Filipino Nurses Association in Emirates, who has been participating in three Philippine overseas elections since 2016, however, is confident that “safeguards are in place for the overseas online voting in 2025.”

Community leader Josie Conlu reiterated: “Online voting can significantly enhance the accessibility and convenience of the electoral process for Filipinos. It allows voters to participate from anywhere. It reduces long queues at polling stations, and can lead to higher voter turnout. Additionally, it can streamline the counting process and improve the overall efficiency of elections.”

JP Cosico, marketing executive at Global Thinker Publishing & Mktg House, shared the same optimism, noting: “Overseas voters will definitely prefer to do online voting because aside from convenience, they will have ample time to think about the right candidate and decide who must be rightfully elected."

Promoting welfare of Filipino migrants

For David Sanchez , coordinator of Migrante Middle East, the elections – whether online or in-person – must address the “urgent concerns and promote the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers.”

He noted: “The issue of Philippine labour migration which historically began in the early 1900s, when the first group of Filipino migrants arrived in the US to work in farms, fisheries and restaurants, must be a focal point in the discussion of overseas Filipinos.”

“We must look at why millions of Filipinos continue to find work abroad to improve their own socio-economic situations back home,” noted Sanchez, adding: “We must elect Philippine government official who will protect Filipinos migrant workers across the world.”

Voter turnout

The UAE is consistently among the top five countries and territories with the highest turnout of Filipino voters every election. The others are Saudi Arabia, US, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

During the presidential elections back in May 2022, Dubai in particular saw a total of 60,393 Filipino expats who cast their votes at the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) – it was the highest number of overseas voters among Philippine foreign service posts all over the world since overseas voting began in 2004.

The PCG then said the number accounted for 31.49 per cent of the 191,779 registered voters in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. It was higher than the turnout during the 2016 presidential election, where a total of 37,950 or 30.8 percent of the 122,953 registered voters cast their ballot at the PCG in Dubai.

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