PR-39-2025

Philippine Ambassador to Canada, Her Excellency Maria Andrelita Austria, welcomed the registered voters and guests in
attendance for the briefing on overseas internet voting and to witness the Final Lockdown and Sealing of the OVCS.

10 April 2025, Ottawa — The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa successfully conducted the Final Lockdown and Sealing (FLS) of the Overseas Voting Client System (OVCS), marking a historic milestone for the 2025 Philippine National Elections. This event, held at the Embassy's Mindanao Hall on April 8, 2025, was witnessed by a number of registered overseas voters and guests who confirmed their attendance to observe the procedural process.

SBEI Chair, Consul General Rea Oreta, provided a briefing on the overseas internet voting procedures.

The Final Lockdown and Sealing (FLS), led by Consul General Rea G. Oreta, Chairperson of the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI), is a crucial part of the electoral process, ensuring that the system is secure and contains zero votes prior to the commencement of internet voting. This is the first time in history that the Philippine National Elections will be conducted via internet voting, allowing overseas Filipinos to participate in the electoral process remotely.

Philippine Ambassador Maria Andrelita S. Austria reminded those in attendance that the Philippine Embassy will remain open until 8:00 PM on April 8, 2025, to assist and answer any questions related to the enrollment to the internet voting system and election process. She emphasized the significance of this historic event, stating:

“As we celebrate our heritage tonight, let us also recognize that our culture and identity continue to evolve through our people, our politics, and our development. By exercising our right to vote, we contribute to shaping the future of the Philippines and ensuring that our rich heritage continues to thrive for generations to come. As I often say, ‘ang hindi bumoto, walang karapatang mag-reklamo.’”

The purpose of the FLS is to ensure that the General Election system is fully secured, ensuring that it contains zero votes prior to the official start of voting. This final lockdown guarantees that only pre-enrolled voters will be able to access the digital ballots starting on 13 April 2025 at 8:00 AM Ottawa local time.

The generated status report, following the FLS process, as projected on the TV screen.

During the event, the SBEI team projected the FLS process on a TV screen for the audience and streamed the proceedings live on the Embassy’s Facebook page, PHinCanada, to ensure full transparency.

Prior to the FLS, Consul General Oreta provided a briefing on the Overseas internet voting preparation and procedures.

The internet voting system will be officially opened to pre-enrolled overseas voters on April 13, 2025, and will run through the online platform provided by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) until 7:00 PM (Philippine Time) on 12 May 2025. This system marks a significant shift in how overseas Filipinos will participate in the 2025 Philippine National Elections.

For more information on the Overseas Internet Voting 2025, please visit https://ottawape.dfa.gov.ph/index.php/2016-04-12-08-36-34/overseas-voting.