Sabile-David, E. S. (2019). Foreign elections: Filipinos overseas reach-out education and information for growth and national unity through elections (Unpublished master's thesis). Public Management Development Program, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Public Management Development Program Middle Managers' Class Batch 18 Thesis (MMC)--Development Academy of the Philippines

One problem of the Commission on Elections is the low voter turnout, especially for Filipinos voter overseas. Based on statistics for the 2016 national and local elections, the whole Philippines has a voter turnout of 81.9%, but the overseas voting only registered a voter turnout of 31%. While the Commission endeavored to address this concern election after elections, some interventions were not able to significantly increase overseas voter turnout a bit; in fact, previous results of elections abroad showed that overseas voter turnout had even decreased. Previous studies done abroad have identified factors and reasons why voter turnout is low, but - to some extent - these could not be applied to the Philippines because they lack further assessment of motives and reasons of local population. Hence, this Capstone Project was proposed. This Capstone Project entitled "FOREIGN Elections: Filipinos Overseas Reach-out Education and Information for Growth and National Unity through Elections" has two (2) components: a research and a project. For its research component, the Capstone Project endeavored to answer the following research questions: (a) What are the current policies and mechanisms in facilitating the casting of votes of Filipinos overseas? (b) What is the extent of implementation or enforcement of such policies and mechanisms? (c) What are the factors and reasons that enabled registered voters in casting their votes? (d) What are the factors and reasons that hindered registered voters in casting their votes? What policy measures and institutional arrangements could be instituted to facilitate the casting of votes of Filipinos overseas? For its project component, the Capstone Project was intended to formulate a simple yet useful advocacy, information dissemination and education campaign strategy, and generate a set of recommendations to improve and strengthen institutional mechanisms which could include policy reforms. The Capstone Project - research component - utilized a combination of research methods, namely (a) survey of embassy officials and staff in Malaysia, as the pilot area of locale of the study; (b) survey of selected representatives of Filipino communities in Malaysia; (c) focus group discussion with relevant agencies; and (d) a series of key informant interview. Through the research, the Capstone Project generated: (a) problems and concerns on policy and institutional mechanisms, and a set of recommendations in addressing such; (b) factors, reasons or motivations why registered overseas voters cast - as well as why they do not cast - their votes during elections which, in turn, affect the level of voter turnout; and (c) a set of general and specific recommendations in increasing voter turnout. Based on the list of recommendations, the Capstone Project implemented two (2) sets of intervention focusing on: (a) information dissemination and education campaign; and (b) institutional strengthening. The Capstone Project - through its activities - was able to generate results and benefits. For the government, the Capstone Project was able to generate proper information dissemination with clear messages about elections and how people can participate build credibility; hence, trust and confidence of people on the government is heightened. The Capstone Project was also able to open up avenues so that the roles and responsibilities of key government partner agencies are clearly defined; hence, the government can move as one. The Commission also benefits from the results of the Capstone Project in the sense that priority activities especially in ensuring smooth conduct of elections in overseas posts are identified; therefore, focus in ensured. Likewise, actionable items to improve coordination within COMELEC and outside are identified; hence, stronger collaboration and partnership could be installed for more efficient delivery of the Commission's mandated functions. Further, the results of the research can serve as inputs to decision and policy making. The Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) greatly benefits from the Capstone Project in the following manner: (a) items for future action are identified which could serve as bases in formulating work plans and strategic plans in the short, medium and long-term periods; (b) innovative approaches were identified which could serve as aid to the OFOV in implementing specific activities in the future; and (c) areas for improvement identified could inform management decision and policies in the future.