The House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill providing for early voting of qualified senior citizens and persons with disabilities in national and local elections to make the voting process more comfortable and convenient for them.
The Lower House approved House Bill 5661 before Congress adjourned sine die last May 29.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the bill aims to enhance the voting process to make it more comfortable and convenient for the voters, particularly PWDs and senior citizens, by giving them the option to vote earlier than the date set for election.
Section 2 of the bill provides that for the national and local elections, there shall be early voting for qualified senior citizens or PWDs who may choose to cast his ballot at accessible establishments designated by the Commission on Elections within seven working days before the date set for the election.
The bill also provides for nationwide registration for senior citizens and PWDs who wish to avail of their early voting privileges. Those who are not registered under the Act shall vote on election day itself.
The Comelec shall be mandated to keep a record of senior citizens and PWDs who are registered voters.
It will also coordinate with local government units, the National Council for Disability Affairs, the Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Health, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to design a registration system that will allow senior citizens and PWDs to register and opt for early voting in order to improve their voting experience in national and local elections.
Alvarez said the poll body should ensure the full implementation of Republic Act 10366, entitled “An Act Authorizing the Commission on Elections to Establish Precincts Assigned to Accessible Polling Places Exclusively for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens,” such that polling places for senior citizens and PWDs are safe, highly accessible and fitted with the necessary communication, visual and physical aids, and other forms of assistance where senior citizens and PWDs may be able to cast their votes with ease.
Lastly, the Comelec shall mount an intensive information campaign on early voting for qualified senior citizens and PWDs.
Alvarez said the amount necessary to fund implementation of the Act will be included in the General Appropriations Act for the corresponding fiscal year.
The provisions of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 or the Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act 7166, entitled “An Act Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, Authorizing Appropriations Therefore, and for Other Purposes,” and other election laws not inconsistent with the new measure will be applied to facilitate the early voting of senior citizens and PWDs.
The bill was a substitute to several measures filed on the subject matter, including that of Alvarez’s HB 5019.