Philippine Embassy officials in Australia are encouraging Filipinos to obtain dual citizenship so they can be eligible to participate in the Philippine’s overseas absentee voting (OAV).

Last week, the consulate in Sydney with the Global Filipinos-Australia held an outreach program to urge Sydney-based Filipinos to register for the OAV.

The event which was held in Blacktown, New South Wales, offered consular services to migrants to reclaim their citizenship as well as informing them of their responsibility to vote in the upcoming 2010 elections in the Philippines.

Vice Consul Anthony Reyes said the OAV only had scant interest at previous voter registration events in 2003 and 2006.

“Here in New South Wales it has been low. But for this year we are setting forth a more aggressive program to encourage people to register for the elections next year,” said Reyes.

Similarly, Global Filipinos-Australia, the organizer of the event said the worsening political situation in the Philippines provide stronger imperatives to Filipinos abroad to exercise their voting right.

"We are not advocating for any specific candidate but we are advocating for the overseas Filipinos to participate to exercise the power to vote," said Lolita Farmer.

For an individual to be an eligible voter, he or she must be over 18 and must be a citizen with a Filipino birth certificate or certificate of Australian citizenship as well as their old Philippine passport.

The consulate warns however that dual citizenship does not automatically make one a voter. Even dual citizens must officially register before he or she is eligible as an overseas absentee voter.

The consulate announced that it will hold other outreach events for the Filipino community while Global Filipino-Australia said it will continue tirelessly to urge all expatriates, and Filipino Australian youth in particular, to use this opportunity to step up and exercise their right and responsibility to elect the leaders of their country of origin.

"It is the civic duty of each and every citizen to choose their leaders,” Reyes said. Reports from Krisanne Alcantara, ABS-CBN Australia News Bureau, Sydney and Balitang Australia