Filipino voters in the UAE have spoken, and it’s a big win for the PDP-Laban party. Results from the Philippine Senate overseas voting show Senator Bong Go and Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa leading the race among Filipinos in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
According to the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec), the UAE once again proved its importance as a key overseas voting post, with the largest number of registered Filipino voters outside the Philippines.
Who Topped the UAE Senate Polls?
Senator Bong Go emerged as the top choice:
- 17,684 votes in Dubai
- 9,775 votes in Abu Dhabi
Senator Bato Dela Rosa followed closely:
- 16,741 votes in Dubai
- 9,306 votes in Abu Dhabi
Both senators are prominent figures in PDP-Laban, the political party once led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, and continue to enjoy strong support from the overseas Filipino community.
Other PDP-Laban candidates who made it to the top list in both cities include:
- Raul Lambino
- Phillip “Ipe” Salvador
- Jayvee Hinlo
- Jimmy Bondoc
One surprise in the results was Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a controversial religious leader currently in detention. He placed 8th in Dubai with 8,110 votes and 9th in Abu Dhabi with 4,533 votes.
Low Turnout Despite High Interest
Despite the strong show of support for PDP-Laban, voter turnout was low:
- Only 20 per cent of registered voters in Abu Dhabi went to the polls (13,234 out of 66,001)
- In Dubai, turnout was just under 20 per cent (24,742 out of 123,891)
With the UAE home to hundreds of thousands of Filipino expatriates, the low turnout has sparked renewed calls for better voter engagement and easier access to voting facilities.
Why It Matters to Filipinos in the UAE
Overseas absentee voting offers Filipinos abroad a chance to help shape national policy and leadership back home. The strong results for PDP-Laban in the UAE show that many OFWs remain aligned with the party’s pro-OFW stance and legacy.