Many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Europe are not interested in participating in the May 10 elections.

This was the impression that Fr. Edwin Corros of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) got from the OFWs from at least three countries in Europe, namely, Rome, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal; and Berlin, Germany.

“My impression is it doesn’t really matter to them who will be running for president or who are the candidates. Their fear is will this election be a credible one,” he said in an interview.

Corros said majority of the OFWs whom he was able to talk to already lost hope in the Philippine government due to the worsening situation in the country.

“It’s hard to convince them to participate which is very saddening. I really thought they were enthusiastic in changing the government but it seems there’s so much distrust,” he said. “It seems they also distrust the candidates because to them they are no different from those they are replacing. That’s why they are painting this grim scenario.”