The Philippine embassy in Doha has achieved “a significant 35.02% turnout of votes” in the presidential election with a total of 15,956 votes cast in the month-long overseas voting in Qatar.
"The turnout is the second highest in the GCC after Bahrain and the third highest in the Middle East and North Africa region after Bahrain and Israel," ambassador Wilfredo Santos told the media before the start of the official counting on Monday at the chancery.
“I think it is the highest turnout ever achieved in the history of overseas voting in Qatar. I am very pleased with the turnout of this 2016 national election here,” the envoy said.
“We were able to meet our targets and at the start of the election, the Commission on Elections and the Department of Foreign Affairs expected an 80% turnout,” Santos noted. That assessment was later revised to 50% and I think this 35% turnout is higher than the actual worldwide turnout of 30%.” “This is a very good development.”
Embassy officials, who served as Special Board of Election Inspectors, were still in the process of consolidating the results of the election at the chancery on Monday night.
Santos believes the 2016 national election proved that voters are well informed largely due to having direct access to information through social media.
The debates organised during the campaign also enabled them to be more informed especially about the platform of the candidates, he said.
“This provided them with an opinion with what these candidates will do for the next six years of their administration,” Santos added.
About the presidential frontrunner, he believes that Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte had an impact because he “seems to generate interest among overseas Filipino workers and part of the youth.”
The envoy expects the new leadership to effect improvements in the lives of Filipinos and the economic conditions of the country, which are reasons for running for public office.
While these promises have to be carried out, he said Filipinos have to unite behind whoever gets elected.
“The time for all of these politicking is over and the will of the people will have to be followed; the voice of the people has been heard, and once the results will be officially announced, I think all of us will have to unite,” he stressed.
About the main legacy of the Aquino administration, Santos said the President was able to achieve high rates of economic growth.
He pointed out that Aquino’s drive against corruption is significant given the fact that the Philippines was scrapped from the bad reputation of being one of the corrupt countries in the world.
Aquino has done a lot on improving defence by upgrading military capability, according to the envoy.
“That will allow us to maintain minimum credible defence to the procurement of equipment including military jets for our air force and other warships for our navy,” he added.
“The economy under the president is very stable, we were able to become a destination for investment and trade, and also tourism picked up, which is something I hope we can continue since everything is looking bright for the Philippines in terms of economic performance,” Santos added.