About 5,000 Filipino priests and nuns in Italy have been urged to register for the overseas absentee voting to be able to take part in the coming 2010 national elections.

Jocelyn Ruiz of ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported that the OAV registration for priests and nuns is now ongoing until the end of August 2009.

According to the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See, there are only about 30 people who have registered unlike the good registration turnout in the last national elections.

“They just need to have their valid passport, dalhin nila dito and i-photocopy namin and fill-up application for registration,“ said Consul General Lilibeth Pono.
 
Sr. Crez Pantuhan has been in Italy for five years but this is the first time that she found the time to register.

“Para sa ating bayan you know, and hopefully, iyong boto natin makakatulong sa mga nangyayari sa ating bayan sa ngayon though wala kami doon,” said Sr. Pantuhan.

Pono, meanwhile, said that it is the right of the Filipino people to participate in the elections.

“Hindi lang pari o madre. Dapat tayong lahat, dapat tayo bumoto. This is our right to select our national leaders and to hear our voice to heard na ma-count iyon,” said Pono. -- report from Jocelyn Ruiz, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau