The overseas voting period for the 2025 Philippine midterm elections officially commenced on Sunday, opening a crucial window for millions of Filipinos abroad to participate in the national polls — many for the first time via online voting.

The month-long voting period runs until 12 May 2025, coinciding with the final voting day in the Philippines.

“Earlier today, even in the early hours, voting has already begun for our countrymen abroad — what we call overseas voting,” said Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia in a radio interview.

Filipino voters in New Zealand were the first to cast their ballots, with polling in Wellington — under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy — starting at 4 a.m. Manila time.

Comelec has established 77 overseas polling posts where Filipinos can vote either online or in person at Philippine embassies and consulates. Chairman Garcia emphasized the significance of internet voting, which enables voters to cast their ballots anytime, anywhere, throughout the voting period.

While 77 posts offer internet voting, 16 locations still require voters to appear in person.

Voting schedules follow time-zone-based rollouts, with countries like Australia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States set to begin voting in the coming days.

As of 11 April, only 48,000 out of 1.2 million registered overseas voters had enrolled for online voting, sparking concerns over low engagement despite the growing ease of digital participation.

Preliminary data from 2024 estimates that approximately 2.47 million Filipinos left the country for overseas work, highlighting the vast potential voting base.

Despite the modest initial figures, Garcia remains hopeful, recalling the record-high 40.59 percent overseas voter turnout during the 2022 elections. With nearly 1.7 million registered overseas voters that year, Comelec is aiming for broader participation in 2025, especially as awareness of online voting increases.