41,512 Filipinos in the United States Registered and Only 11,892 Voted in the May 10, 2010 Election
United States
Per Philippine Embassy Certificate of Canvass of Filipino Overseas Absentee Voters in the United States (excluding Canada and Guam) posted by Consul General Domingo Nolasco on May 13, 2010, only 41,512 Filipino eligible voters in the United States registered to vote in the May 12, 2010 Philippine elections, and only 11,892 of the 41,512 actually cast valid absentee ballots.
The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, which oversees more than 1 million Filipinos in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona and Texas, reported 3,609 voters turnout out of 11,000 registered voters. Why the low registration numbers? Why only 29% voters turnout?
Overseas Filipinos in the United States are apparently but understandably not as interested in participating in the Philippine electoral process as Filipinos in their homeland. Thus, the development of political clout of overseas Filipinos in the United States has been derailed, still a slow work in progress.
Politicians in the Philippines can ignore overseas Filipinos in the United States in the outcomes of their candidacies. Rightfully so, because the vast majority of overseas Filipinos in the United States have arguably abdicated their role in influencing Philippine elections and electing the most qualified candidates.
Results of Canvassing Of Votes Of Filipinos In U.S.:
The following are the election results, courtesy of Eric Lachica, from the certificate of canvass of voters through manual counting posted by Philippine Consul General Domingo Nolasco, the Chairman of the Special Board of Canvassers:
President:
(1) Aquino, Benigno "Noynoy" 7,232 (2) Villar, Manuel 1,509 (3) Teodoro, Gilbert 1,465 (4) Gordon, Richard 828
Vice-President:
(1) Roxas, Manuel 8,205 (2) Fernando, Bayani 1,108 (3) Legarda, Loren 921 (4) Binay, Jejomar 872
Top 12 Senators:
(1) Drilon, Franklin 8,068 (2) Recto, Ralph 7,242 (3) Defensor Santiago, Miriam 6,766 (4) Guingona, Teofisto 6,206 (5) Hontiveros, Baraquel, Ana 5,485 (6) Cayetano, Pilar 5,417 (7) Osmena, Sergio III 5,343 (8) Roco, Sonia 5,311 (9) Biazon, Rufino 5,165 (10)Revilla, Bong 3,939 (11)Enrile, Ponce 3,849 (12)Marcos, Ferdinand Jr. 3,818
Analysis Of Election Results Of Filipino Voters In The U.S.:
Of the 11,892 Filipinos in the United States who voted in the May 10, 2010 elections, 7,232 overwhelmingly voted for Noynoy Aquino, reflecting his landslide and spectacular victory in the Philippines.
Not only the value of integrity, but also the goodwill generated by Ninoy and Cory Aquino carried Noynoy Aquino to victory, despite his arguably lackluster tenures as Congressman of Tarlac and as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines.
Credit should be given to former Ninoy Aquino Movement (NAM) stalwarts and members like Rodel Rodis, Andrea Aquino, Felix Lapuz, Eric Lachica, Danny Lamila, Dr. Philip S. Chua, and others, who worked hard for the candidacy of Noynoy Aquino.
Of course Loida Nicolas-Lewis, a personal friend of Ninoy Aquino who appeared from coast to coast, her sister Mely Nicolas, Gloria Caoili, (Antoinette Dakanay, Ben Aquino, and Mitzi Picard, who also volunteered as poll-watchers during the canvass of voters), and others in the Noy-Mar Campaign like Wally Reyes, Art Leoncio, and other Ateneans in Southern California, share the credit for Noynoy Aquino's 7 to 1 margin over Manny Villar and Gibo Teodoro.
What is surprising is Mar Roxas' even greater (8 to 1) margin over Jojo Binay and Loren Legarda in the vice-presidential race, even as Jojo Binay had campaigned in the United States for the presidency of the Philippines early on, before deciding to be the running-mate of former President Joseph Estrada, and Loren Legarda had resided in California years before she entered politics.
Incidentally, Filipinos in the United States did not vote for Erap Estrada, unlike millions in the Philippines who are still loyal to the convicted former President.
As for the top tweleve (12) senators, Frank Drilon, who authored the 2003 Dual Citizenship and Filipino Overseas Voting legistations, was rewarded with first place. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who was affiliated with Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but ran under the Nacionalista Party of Manny Villar, garnered third place. Senator Bong Revilla's tenth (10th) place position, in comparison to his first place in the Philippines, may arguably reflect the maturity and better judgment of the Filipino voters in the United States. And Marcos loyalists evidently voted for Bongbong Marcos, who garnered twelfth (12th) place.
In the ultimate analysis, Filipino absentee voters in the United States, by their 29% turnout in the May 10, 2010 Philippine elections, signaled their continuing lack of interest, even abandonment of their homeland's good governance.
By: Roman P. Mosqueda, B.S., LL.B., LL.M., S.J.D.
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