MANILA-The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proposed to President Rodrigo Duterte to declare May 9 as a special non-working holiday nationwide. In Comelec Resolution No. 10784, the Comelec en banc said declaring election day a holiday will give Filipinos, especially the voters the chance to participate in the national and local polls. "Now, therefore, the Commission on Elections, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, and other election laws, resolved, as it hereby resolves, to request His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to declare May 9, 2022, as a special non-working holiday all throughout the country in connection with the national and local elections," the Resolution dated April 27 read. The resolution was signed by Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan and Commissioners Socorro Inting, Marlon Casquejo, Aimee Ferolino, Rey Bulay, Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, and George Erwin Garcia. Meanwhile, Casquejo, Comelec-Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) head, said over 175,000 overseas voters have cast their votes. He said there are a total of 175,266 overseas voters that have cast their votes as of April 28. Majority of the voters came from the Middle East and African countries with 83,250, followed by Asia and the Pacific regions with 76,745. A total of 13,462 voters participated in the European countries while those who voted from the Americas were 1,809. The Comelec is targeting 50 percent voter turnout. The total number of registered voters for overseas voting is 1,697,215. Casquejo said the voter turnout in the 2016 polls was 32 percent while 12 percent in 2019. (PNA) }