Dr. Abraham "Junjun" Rasul, Jr. MΣΦ 1983A testified before a joint hearing of the House Committees on Suffrage and Foreign Affairs in support of House Bill 3201 amending the 2003 Overseas Absentee Voting Act. The said Act would eliminate the provision requiring overseas voters to sign an affidavit promising to return to the Philippines within three years or face the penalty of perpetual disbarment from future voting and up to one year in jail.

UPMASA member Dr. Abraham "Junjun" Rasul Jr. ‘83 testifying with US Pinoys for Good Governance Chair Loida Nicolas Lewis.

The President-Elect of three prominent organizations - the Philippine Medical Society of Washington, D.C., the UP Medical Alumni Society in America (UPMASA) Baltimore Washington D.C. Chapter, and the Mu Sigma Phi Foundation – and a Board Member of the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), Dr. Rasul testified that the word "Absentee" should be removed from the Overseas Absentee Voting law because of its negative connotations. "An absentee voter means that we are not present when we vote," he said. "If overseas voters have the right to vote, then why do we have to be considered absentee?" he asked.

The full text of Dr. Rasul’s testimony may be found below. Congratulations, brod, for further bannering the Fraternity’s Pillar of Leadership both here and afar. All For The Glory!

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Philippine Congressional Testimony of Dr. Abraham T. Rasul, Jr.

Philippine Overseas Voting Act
Batasan Pambansa,
September 26, 2011

Mr. Chairman, Members of this Congressional Committee, thank you for inviting us to participate in the critical proceedings that will affect the right of suffrage of Overseas Filpinos.

Mr. Chairman, if I may, I would like to read my written testimony.

I am Dr. Abraham Tillah Rasul, Jr., a Tausug Muslim, originally from Jolo, Sulu. I am now a resident and practicing physician in the Washington DC area.

I am part of a group of Overseas Filipinos living in the United States who took time off from the responsibilities of our professions as well as our families to demonstrate to you our resolve to achieve the unconditional right of suffrage for overseas Filipinos. For some, this may be the only connection they will have with our native land.

As the President Elect of medical organizations including the Philippine Medical Association of Metro Washington DC, the UP Medical Alumni Society in America Washington DC chapter, and the UP College of Medicine MU Sigma Phi Foundation USA, I also speak on behalf of thousands of health care professionals who maintain their love and sacrifice for our native land and deserve to exercise the unconditional right of suffrage.

This was a registered voter who could not return to his place of residence in time to vote but wanted to exercise this right of suffrage. He was given the privilege to do so.

This was the absentee voter that I know.

We should be able then to exercise the right of suffrage the same way as Filipinos who live locally.

Efforts to secure communication technology enable us to expand businesses and government services.

Through the internet we found a way to reconnect with our families and Philippine Society.

Through the internet, cell phone technology, social networks, we now are one Global Society.

We felt the rush of pride when Chamsey Supsup was selected as a semifinalist during the Miss Universe pageant. But we also felt the disappointment when she did not win. We feel the anguish whenever our favorite Filipino teams lose in local and world competition.

We felt the scintillating power of Congressman Manny Pacquiao’s punches as he pummeled every single opponent into submission.  We incessantly texted our votes when a Filipino needed our help to prevent being eliminated in the American Idol competition.

Mr. Chairman, the Filipino is a Global phenomenon. We are Citizens of the World.

We contribute to the economies of other countries, enhance their arts and culture, and expand their technology. We enact their laws, but sometimes we do break them. But so do local Filipinos.

But while we have made our productive contributions in the world outside, we still have limitations placed upon us right here in our native country in terms of exercising our right of suffrage.

True, we left the Philippines physically. But we continue to maintain our bond and heritage, the Pride of being a Filipino.  Our spirits never left our native land.  We continue to support the economy with our remittances.  We always pray that our native land will continue to weather all attempts to challenge its sovereignty, both domestic and foreign.  We demonstrate and fight to be heard. We are no different from the local Filipino.

The term absentee voter does not reflect the status of the Global Filipino who continues to share the same dreams and ideals as the Filipino residing locally. These Global Filipinos, a number of whom are here in this hearing, support the economy, promote technology exchange, advance local education, assist in conflict resolution, and promote good governance. Because of this, we are no different from everyone else. The things that only differentiate us are our zip codes and area codes. In fact we still maintain our accents no matter how hard we try to change them. We continue to manifest the Filipino State of Mind.

Conversely, you do have local Filipinos who do not share or demonstrate the responsibilities of good citizenship. Shouldn't they instead be considered absentee Filipinos?

As long as a Filipino lives and demonstrates responsible and proactive citizenship embodied by our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, it does not really matter where the Filipino lives. He or she needs to be given the unfettered right of suffrage.

In fact the current bill as it is penalizes those who participate in Philippine elections.

Instead of encouraging dual citizenship so overseas Filipinos can vote, it creates a Dual standard much to the disadvantage of overseas Filipinos.

We appeal to you to amend the Overseas Voter Act to allow us to exercise the unconditional right of suffrage.

At the same time, Mr. Chairman and honorable members of this committee, I am appealing to your sense of fairness to please delete or omit the word Absentee from the Bill. We had been called different names before. Absentee does not define us.

Thank you. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

Abraham T. Rasul, Jr., MD
President Elect, Philippine Medical Association, Metro Washington DC
President Elect, University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society n America, Baltimore-Washington DC Chapter
President Elect, Mu Sigma Phi Foundation USA
Board Member, US Pinoys for Good Governance

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Posted in the Mu Loop last October 4, 2011

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