Republic of the Philippines
House Or REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3966

Introduced by Honorable Erico B. Aumentado

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide for the adoption of voting by mail as an option to
personal voting in countries with overseas Filipino workers (OF Ws).

It is the objective of the State to ensure equal opportunity in the exercise of
the right to vote to all qualified OFWs abroad. Absentee voting, either in person or
by mail, is the surest method by which our OFWs abroad can exercise this
fundamental right.

Records at the Commission on Elections show that in the previous election,
there were at least 3.6 Million qualified voters abroad. Out of this figure, 589,830
were registered voters while only 153,323 actually voted broken down as follows:
39,564 voted by mail, 64,743 voted manually or in person and 49,016 voted
through automation.

Republic Act No, 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting
Act of 2003,” provides for the voting by mail to only three (3) countries. This
limitation effectively disenfranchises many OFWs abroad. The adoption of voting
by mail as an option to personal voting in all countries with overseas Filipino
workers is one way of solving this perennial problem.

Hence, the approval of this bill is eamestly requested.

Bill Drafting Service


Republic of the Philippines
House Or REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3966

Introduced by Honorable Erico B. Aumentado

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF VOTING BY MAIL AS AN
OPTION TO PERSONAL VOTING IN ALL COUNTRIES WITH
OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE OVERSEAS
ABSENTEE VOTING ACT OF 2003”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Paragraph 17.1, Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9189 is
hereby amended by deleting sub-paragraph (a) and renumbering the remaining
paragraphs to read as follows:

“Sec. 17. Voting by Mail. —
17.1. [For the May, 2004 elections] The Commission shall
authorize voting by mail AS AN OPTION TO VOTING IN PERSON

in ALL COUNTRIES WITH OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS

[not more than three (3) countries, subject to the approval of the
Congressional Oversight Committee. Voting by mail may be allowed
in]: PROVIDED, THAT THESE COUNTRIES [that] satisfy the

following conditions:

Bill Drafting Service


[a) Where the mailing system is fairly well-developed and
secure to prevent occasion for fraud;]

[b)] A) Where there exists a technically established
identification system that would preclude multiple or proxy voting;
and

[c)] B) Where the system of reception and custody of mailed
ballots in the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments concerned are adequate and well-secured.

(Thereafter, voting by mail in any country shall be allowed only
upon review and approval of the Joint Congressional Oversight
Committee.]

XXX XXX XXX.”

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in

the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,