Manila: Overseas voter registration in the Middle East will continue despite escalating tension in the region, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday. Comelec Spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco confirmed that the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) has not reported any suspension of voter registration activities abroad.

According to Philippines News Agency, Laudiangco stated in a telephone interview that no voter registration activities abroad have been suspended so far. He emphasized that the registration is still ongoing as Philippine embassies and consulates remain operational.

Laudiangco further explained that as long as the embassies and consulates in the Middle East are open, voter registration will continue. He noted that voter registration activities coincide with the consular activities in these posts.

The overseas voter registration began on December 1, 2025, and is scheduled to run until September 30, 2027, in all Philippine embassies and consulates, as well as in designated local field registration centers in the Philippines. There are approximately 2 million Filipinos living and working in various countries in the Middle East.

Recent developments in the region include an attack launched by the United States and Israel on Iran, which was followed by retaliatory attacks on US military bases in several countries. Despite these events, the voter registration process for overseas Filipinos remains uninterrupted.