1
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION 55 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 881, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE, AS 
AMENDED, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Commission on Elections (“Commission”) is constitutionally 
mandated to “administer and enforce all laws and regulations relative to 
the conduct of an election, plebiscite, initiative, referendum, and recall,”1 
as well as to assume “exclusive original jurisdiction over all contests 
relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all elective regional, 
provincial, and city officials, and appellate jurisdiction over all contests 
involving elective municipal officials decided by trial courts of general 
jurisdiction, or involving elective barangay officials decided by trial courts 
of limited jurisdiction.”2 
As a constitutional organ entrusted with the gargantuan task of 
implementing election laws, the Commission is likewise duty laden to 
supervise the conduct of all elections in the Philippines and ensure that 
the same is free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible. The attainment 
of this objective is crucial in order to ensure the preservation of the sanctity 
1 1987 Constitution, Article IX-C, Section 2(1). 
2 Section 2(2). 
November 7, 2022
8:05 am
5778


 
2
of the right of suffrage and the electoral process – both fundamental 
stronghold of a democracy like ours. 
 
 
So critical indeed are the tasks entrusted to the Commission that the 
1987 Constitution saw it fit to vest upon the Commission a significant 
degree of independence and further ordained its fiscal autonomy to allow 
it to fulfill its core functions unhampered and without undue interference 
from external factors.  
 
This constitutional design of independence and autonomy however 
may seem to have been enfeebled by the existing Section 55 of the 
Omnibus Election Code, which leaves to local governments the provision 
of office spaces for the provincial election supervisors and the election 
officers. This opens an opportunity for elective officials, not only to exert 
undue influence and pressure upon the Commission’s front-liner field 
officials, but worst, to harass them by depriving them or giving them 
substandard institutional support. This possibility must be curbed and 
totally eradicated, if only for the Commission to be truly independent in the 
sense intended by the Constitution. 
 
Thus, the said Section 55 must be amended to be consistent with 
and to be truly reflective of the constitutional independence that is due to 
the Commission. The power and duty to provide office spaces for election 
officers and provincial election supervisors must be removed from the 
hands of the local governments and must be returned to the Commission. 
 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


3
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION 55 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 881, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE, AS 
AMENDED, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
1 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
2 
3 
SECTION 1.  Section 55 of the Omnibus Election Code of the 
4 
Philippines, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:  
5 
6 
"Section 55. Office space. – [The local government concerned 
7 
shall provide a suitable place for the office of the provincial 
8 
election supervisor and his staff and the election registrar and 
9 
his staff: Provided, That in case of failure of the local 
10 
government concerned to provide such suitable place, the 
11 
provincial election supervisor or the election registrar, as the 
12 
case may be, upon prior authority of the Commission and notice 
13 
to the local government concerned, may lease another place for 
14 
office and the rentals thereof shall be chargeable to the funds 
15 
of the local government concerned.] THE COMMISSION 
16 
SHALL PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUITABLE PLACE 
17 
FOR 
ITS 
FIELD 
OFFICERS 
AND 
THEIR 
STAFF, 
18 
CHARGEABLE TO THE YEARLY APPROPRIATIONS OF THE 
19 
COMMISSION."  
20 
5778


 
4
 
1 
SEC. 2. Appropriation. – The initial appropriation to carry out the 
2 
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations 
3 
of the Commission on Elections. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the 
4 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual 
5 
General Appropriations Act.  
6 
 
7 
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) 
8 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Elections, in 
9 
consultation 
with 
relevant 
stakeholders, 
shall 
promulgate 
the 
10 
implementing rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions 
11 
of this Act.  
12 
 
13 
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. – All acts, laws, decrees, executive 
14 
orders, letters of instructions and regulations or any part thereof which are 
15 
inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed and/or 
16 
modified accordingly.  
17 
 
18 
SEC. 5. Separability Clause. – If for any reason, any section or 
19 
provision of this Act is declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other 
20 
sections or provisions of this Act which are not affected shall continue in 
21 
full force and effect.  
22 
 
23 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
24 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
25 
general circulation. 
26 
 
27 
Approved, 
28