Voters' Information Night

The January 13th information night for voters et al. was a fruitful and stimulating event, equipping Filipino voters in Switzerland by delineating the current issues pertaining to the ongoing presidential campaign for the upcoming Philippine elections in 2016. A good number of people turned up at Karl der Grosse in Zurich Niederdorf - roughly 40 persons - to listen and learn from our two guest speakers from Manila.

With a background in social science and NGO experience, our guest speakers started out giving a talk about the impact of overseas voting, showing recent statistics, and the importance of educating the Philippine diaspora about their rights and potential. This was followed by a brief sketch of the political landscape in the Philippines, the opportunities at hand with a new administration, but also the challenges that make the elections what some call a "man-made disaster". Then the speakers gave an objective overview of the official candidates, their agendas, strong-points as well as red flags. The speakers closed their talk by addressing some questions prepared by Noi-P. along with spontaneous questions from the audience and by sharing some personal anecdotes to underscore some of the issues which they deem most important.

The general part was followed by some more practical information provided by a representative of the Philippine Embassy, who not only shared some important pointers regarding the technical side of overseas voting but also disclosed some juicy details about what actually happens with the ballots. His engaging and interactive style encouraged a number of questions from the audience, which he immediately addressed.

Even though some in the crowd were not eligible to vote or had already missed the registration deadline, everyone agreed that the most important thing to do now is to become informed and make an educated choice: the impact of the Philippine diaspora on their friends and loved-ones back home is, after all, significant and should not be taken for granted in matters that shape the Philippines' future. Asked how Filipinos abroad can stay updated, the speakers recommend that they regularly consult and compare various media sources. They also refer to the newsletter "Philippinen Aktuell" (download here) - a FREE resource for those who read German.

Noi-P. would like to thank everyone who dropped by and made the event a success. Special thanks goes out to our guest speakers Pilgrim Bliss Gayo and Niklas Reese for coming all the way from Manila and preparing their talks for the Filipino-Swiss audience as well as Consul Jarie Osias, who came from Berne to serve and support the local Filipino Community. Our gratitude also goes out to our sponsors Philair-Logistics and MoneyGram for making the event possible on short notice. If you are interested in connecting with Noi-P. for similar activities, contact us anytime at info@noi-p.ch.