Why is DFA OAV registration target just at >10% in 2017?

In the 2018 budget proposal for the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Performance Indicators section states: >10 percent increase in the number of overseas Filipino voters registered over the previous election.

Just 10 percent as a minimum growth target? Compare that to the Comelec goal of receiving one million new Overseas Absentee Voters. I now ask matter of factly, which is the more realistic goal, the goal of DFA or the goal of Comelec?

Comelec also said that its Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) has urged 205,697 voters (deactivated after the May 2016 polls for failure to vote in two consecutive national elections) to reactivate their registration status.

Overseas voter reactivation can be done by the overseas Filipino simply by going to the embassy or consulate in the country where they are based, or the OFOV in Comelec Intramuros or their local Comelec office if they are in the homeland.

Comelec said as per data as of October 17, 2016, some 58,992 of the deactivated voters are land-based while 146,705 are seafarers. If they do not reactivate they cannot vote in the 2019 elections.

Comelec said there were 1,376,067 registered OAV in the May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections. My questions to the DFA:

1. Are your seeking out each and every one of these deactivated 205,697 Overseas Filipino voters? What is your registration target in 2018?

2. What are you doing now and will do in 2018 to help the Comelec add one million more overseas absentee registrants? Will you help Comelec?

3. The proposed DFA 2018 budget has P1,257,670,000.00 for protection of the rights and welfare of overseas Filipinos. How, in detail, does the DFA intend to spend this?

ANICETO “JOHN” D. BERTIZ, III Representative, ACTS OFW Party-list