Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No,__ 6009

Introduced by Magdalo Party-List Representatives
Hon. Francisco Ashley L, Acedillo and Hon. Gary C. Alejano

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Executive Order No. 157 (E.O. 157) was the first piece of legislation that provided for a system
of local absentee voting. In Section 7 thereof, for the purpose of the 1987 Congressional Election,
absentee voting was only applied to the elections for Senator.

In 1991, Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7166 (R.A. 7166), otherwise known as the
"Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act", expanded the coverage of
E.O. 157 by including the positions of President and Vice-President in the positions to be voted for
under the local absentee voting, Hence, under RA 7166, local absentee voting is specifically limited to
the elections for President, Vice-President, and Senators.

In 1995, Republic Act No. 7941 (R.A, 7941), otherwise known as the "Party-1 stem Act",
‘was enacted into law, paving the way for the first Party-List Elections in 1998, Without any
amendment being made to Section 12 of R.A. 7166, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)
included Party-List Representatives' among the positions to be voted for under local absentee voting.
While it is correct, in principle, to allow local absentee voters to elect Party-List Representatives since
they are voted at large, it is submitted that the same should have been done through an amendment of
RA. 7166 and not through a resolution of the COME!

Senator Aquilino Martin “Koko” L. Pimentel III first sought this as a remedial measure by
filing Senate Bill 3387 in the 15th Congress to provide a legal basis to include the elections for Party-
List Representatives in the system of local absentee voting. This bill seeks that very same remedy by
proposing an amendment to Section 12 of R.A. 7166 by including therein Party-List Representatives as
one of the positions to be voted for under the system of local absentee voting.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

& \

HON. FRANCISCO ASHLEY L. ACEDILLO. GARY @. ALEJANO.

‘Resolution No. 3439 for the May 14, 2001 National and Local Elections; Resolution No. 6637 for the May 10, 2004 National
and Local Elections; Resolution No. 7797 for the May 14, 2007 National and Local Elections; and Resolution No. 8793 for the
‘May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections.

. 1


Ren

Sowrdsau

Semraanrsosnas

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bil No, __ 6009

Introduced by Magdalo Party-List Representatives
Hon. Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo and Hon. Gary C. Alejano

AN ACT
TO INCLUDE PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVE IN THE LIST OF PUBLIC OFFICERS TO
BE ELECTED UNDER THE LOCAL ABSENTEE VOTING, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 12 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS, “AN
‘ACT PROVIDING FOR SYNCHRONIZED NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND
FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS, AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

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

assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7166 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 12. Absentee Voting, - Absentee voting as provided for in Executive Order No. 157
dated March 30, 1987 shall apply to the elections for President, Vice-President, [and] Senators,
AND PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVE only and shall be limited to members of the
‘Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police and other government
officers and employees who are duly registered voters and who, on election day, may
temporarily be assigned in connection with the performance of election duties to places where

they are not registered voters."

SEC. 2. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be declared invalid or
unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Act.

SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, resolutions, rules
and regulations, or any part thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are

hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,