Less than a week before the holding of overseas absentee voting, the Commission on Elections has yet to fully restore its web application meant to help registered voters abroad find out where they can cast their votes.
A check with the Comelec website showed that the Post Finder feature is still undergoing maintenance.
The maintenance work was undertaken after the Comelec’s website was defaced by hackers belonging to the group Anonymous Philippines last week.
The hacking affected several applications on the website, particularly the post finder, video demonstrations, and the search function.
The Comelec’s Information Technology Department and Web Development Team have been working to restore all functions of the website.
Until the website is back to normal, Comelec has advised overseas voters to send an e-mail to [email protected] in order to allow the Comelec to address their concerns.
The finder is an application set to be used by overseas voters and seafarers to locate Philippine posts abroad, where they can cast votes.
There are a total of 1,376,067 registered overseas absentee voters, including 1,326,728 land-based and 49,339 sea-based Filipinos.
Thirty of the 85 Philippine posts overseas are set to use the automated election system, according to the Comelec.
A total of 26 posts will be using a manual voting system, with voters filling up ballots in designated polling precincts.
Another 26 posts overseas will adopt the postal manual voting system, wherein the ballots will be mailed directly to the registered voter, who will then mail it back to the polling center after they are accomplished.
The remaining three Philippine posts will not be conducting any elections due to prevailing domestic strife.
Overseas voting is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 9 and will end on Monday, May 9.