Few register for
Philippine pollsDeclaring intent to return to the
country could deter isle voters
Only a few of the several thousand Filipinos living in Hawaii who are eligible to vote in next year's Philippines elections have registered.
About 30 Filipinos registered at the Philippine Consulate on Pali Highway on Friday, the first day of a 61-day registration period, according to Philippine Consul General Rolando S. Gregorio.
The registration period for the May 10, 2004, election will continue until Sept. 30.
Filipino immigrants living in Hawaii who are over the age of 18 may be eligible to vote for president, vice president, Senate and some House seats, as long as they have not given up their Philippine citizenship, have been declared insane or incompetent, or convicted of a major crime.
The one issue that raised some hesitation for Filipinos who wish to vote is a declaration of intent to return that must be signed upon registering, Gregorio said.
The declaration states that those who do register must intend to return to the Philippines within three years of the day they registered, according to Gregorio.
"Some worry they may not be able to really do what they promise," Gregorio said.
Those who do not return to the Philippines will "only get taken off the registration list" and will not be able to vote in the next election in 2010, he said.
A bill pending before the Philippine Congress would allow Filipino Americans to claim dual citizenship. Gregorio said that if the bill passes, those people who have dual citizenship should be able to vote in Philippine elections. However, it's uncertain if the bill will become law before the end of the registration period.
There are about 7 million Filipinos living in more than 150 different countries. About 170,000 live in Hawaii, according to Rolando.
"Many overseas Filipinos have expressed their willingness to participate in elections," Gregorio said.
"This is an answer for them," he added.
