Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates have emerged as the most active overseas voters in the recent Philippine National Mid-term Elections, with the Philippine Country Team in the UAE — composed of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai — recording the highest number of votes cast among Filipinos abroad.
A total of 37,976 Filipinos in the UAE, out of 189,892 registered voters, participated in the election through an online voting system that ran from April 13 to May 12, 2025. This accounts for 17% of the total 223,330 votes cast by Overseas Filipinos worldwide, highlighting the UAE’s significant contribution to the global turnout of 20%.
Philippine Ambassador to the UAE H.E. Alfonso A. Ver lauded the active involvement of the Filipino community in the UAE, emphasizing their commitment to civic duty despite being miles away from home. “We share the success of this achievement with all our kababayan, which reflects our strong sense of civic responsibility and engagement in shaping the future of our country,” he stated.
Consul General Marford M. Angeles echoed the sentiment, highlighting the historic nature of the election. “It is great to see the deep interest of our kababayans in the conduct of the online voting, a first in our Philippine history. With this advancement in our electoral process, we look forward to an even more active participation among our fellow overseas Filipino voters in the next election,” Angeles said.
Ambassador Ver further acknowledged the efforts of volunteers, community leaders, and partner organizations who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the election, calling the milestone “a strong testament to the dedication” of everyone involved.
The Philippine Country Team in the UAE maintained that they are fully committed to safeguarding the voting rights of Overseas Filipinos, ensuring a secure and accessible electoral process.
