Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.   ________ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE CONDUCT OF HYBRID NATIONAL, 
LOCAL, AND ARMM ELECTIONS, THROUGH MANUAL VOTING 
AND COUNTING AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL, AND AUTOMATED 
TRANSMISSION 
AND 
CANVASSING, 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The conduct of the past national and local elections was plagued 
with numerous unresolved issues and irregularities. Such problems 
allegedly altered the results of the 2016 election.  
Based on information received, and as expounded upon by former 
Senate President Vicente Sotto III during his privilege speech last March 
6, 2018, in the 2016 elections, a series of early transmissions of votes can 
be seen from the logs of the COMELEC servers. These transmissions 
happened on May 8, 2016, and in the very early morning of May 9, 2016, 
prior to the official start of the elections. The transmissions were done at 
different municipal and provincial board of canvassers in Luzon, Visayas, 
and Mindanao. There is no way that these are only testing transmissions 
since the testing period already ended on April 23, 2016.  
According to the NAMFREL Report for the 2016 National and Local 
elections, the integrity of our Automated Election System has been 
undermined. This is due to an intrusion of an unauthorized transparency 
queue server while the system is actively receiving data.  
October 26, 2022
2:28 pm
5706


This bill aims to address the issues of a fully automated election 
system. Through manual voting and counting, the public will have an 
unimpeded view of the real-time input of votes. Both the total number of 
valid ballots used and the results will reflect both in manual and digital 
election returns. In case of a discrepancy between the manual and digital 
election returns, the former shall still prevail. In addition, the digital 
election return will be projected while the entries are recorded in real-time 
for the benefit of the viewing public. This way, the voters will be able to 
ascertain the accuracy between the actual casted votes and those being 
transmitted electronically.  
A hybrid mode of voting of will strengthen the integrity of the 
elections and forego the issues like early and inaccurate transmission of 
votes. With this hybrid system of manual voting and counting at the 
precinct level and automated transmission and canvassing, the 2025 and 
all subsequent elections will surely be accurate and transparent.  
An earlier version of this Bill was filed by the undersigned on July 
17, 2019 in the 18th Congress and docketed as House Bill No. 2265. Said 
Bill was referred to the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms but 
did not advance to the Second Reading. 
This counterpart Bill to the version filed by former Senate President 
Vicente Sotto III in the 18th Congress is herein refiled and reproduced 
with the House of Representatives, and its passage is earnestly sought.    
PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 


Page 1 of 27
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.   ________ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE CONDUCT OF HYBRID NATIONAL, 
LOCAL AND ARMM ELECTIONS, THROUGH MANUAL VOTING 
AND COUNTING AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL, AND AUTOMATED 
TRANSMISSION AND CANVASSING, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “The Hybrid 
Election Act”. 
SECTION 2. Coverage. - The coverage of the provisions of this Act 
shall be applicable to the conduct of the election on May 2025 and all 
national and local elections thereafter. 
SECTION 3. Filing of Certificates of Candidacy. - The certificate of 
candidacy of any person running for the office of President, Vice-
President, Senator, Member of the House of Representatives, Party-list 
representatives or any elective provincial, city, or municipal official shall 
be filed in five (5) legible copies with the offices of the Commission 
specified hereunder not later than the day before the date legally fixed for 
the beginning of his campaign period, to wit:  
5706


 
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(a) For 
President, 
Vice-President, 
Senators, 
and 
Party-list 
representatives 90 days before the day of elections; and 
 
(b) For members of the House of Representatives, and elective 
provincial, city, and municipal officials 45 days before the day of 
elections.  
 
1. The certificate of candidacy for President, Vice-President, 
Senators, and party-list representatives shall be filed with the 
main office of the Commission in Manila;  
 
2. The certificate of candidacy for the members of the House of 
Representatives shall be filed with the provincial election 
supervisor of the province concerned. Those for legislative 
districts in the National Capital Region shall be filed with the 
regional election director of said region and those for legislative 
districts in cities outside the National Capital Region which 
comprise one or more legislative districts shall be filed with the 
city election registrar concerned;  
 
3. The certificate of candidacy for provincial offices shall be filed 
with the provincial supervisor concerned; and  
 
4. The certificate of candidacy for city or municipal offices shall be 
filed with the city or municipal election officer concerned.  
 
Whenever practicable, the names of registered candidates for local 
positions shall be printed in the election returns: Provided, That: if a 
candidate has been disqualified or declared a nuisance candidate, it shall 
be the duty of the Commission to instruct without delay the appropriate 
election officials to delete the name of said candidate as printed in the 
election return.  
 


 
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The candidate shall file the certificate of candidacy personally or by 
his duly authorized representative. No certificate of candidacy shall be 
filed or accepted by mail, telegram, or facsimile.  
 
SECTION 4. Official Ballots. -  
 
(a) Ballots for national and local elections, regular or special, 
plebiscites and referenda, shall be of uniform size and shall be 
prescribed by the Commission, taking into consideration 
environmental considerations, with a reasonable minimum paper 
size and using only recycled paper. They shall be printed in black 
ink on security paper with distinctive, clear and legible watermarks 
that will readily distinguish it from ordinary paper. Each ballot shall 
be in the shape of a strip with stub and detachable coupon 
containing the serial number both on the upper and lower 
detachable coupon of the ballot, and a space for the thumbmark of 
the voter on the detachable coupon. It shall bear at the top of the 
middle portion thereof the coat-of-arms of the Republic of the 
Philippines, the word "Official Ballot," the name of the city or the 
municipality and province in which the election is to be held, the 
date of the election, and the following instruction in English: "Fill 
out this ballot secretly inside the voting booth. Do not put any 
distinct mark on any part of this ballot."  
 
(b) The official ballot shall be serially numbered and shall be delivered 
to and correspond to specific precincts or cluster or precincts, as the 
case may be, which shall have corresponding and exclusive ballot 
identification numbers separate from the serial number of the 
individual ballots. For purposes of transparency, the ballot ID and 
the serial number of the ballots corresponding to each precinct or 
cluster or precincts, as the case may be, shall be available for 
viewing by interested parties on the Commission’s official website 
at least five (5) days before election day. 
 


 
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(c) A digital image of a sample official ballot may be available for 
viewing and downloading from the Commission’s website, minus 
the security features and actual bar codes for authentication. 
 
(d) The official ballot shall also contain the names of all the offices to 
be voted upon in the election, allowing opposite the name of each 
office, sufficient space of spaces with horizontal lines where the 
voter may write the name or names of the individual candidates 
being voted upon, as provided in the list of candidates and the 
corresponding elective positions, as pasted inside the inner flap of 
the ballot secrecy folder; Provided, That: any defacement, vandalism, 
marking or writing on said list inside the ballot secrecy folder, 
which shall in anyway suggest to the voter the candidate or 
candidates to be voted upon, or shall deprive said voter of his right 
to vote the candidates that he/she chooses to vote, shall constitute 
an election offense, as provided in this Act. 
 
(e)  There shall not be anything printed or written on the back of the 
ballot except as provided in Section 6 of this Act.  
 
(f)  Official ballot for cities and municipalities where Arabic is of 
general use shall have each of the titles of the offices to be voted for 
printed in Arabic in addition to and immediately below the English 
title.  
 
(g) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, the Commission is 
hereby authorized to prescribe a different form of official ballot on 
the same watermarked security paper to facilitate voting by 
illiterate and especially abled voters only. The Commission should 
use or adopt the latest technological and electronic devices in 
connection therewith, as to enable such illiterate or especially-abled 
voter to confirm that the accompanying person truly adhered to the 
voter’s choice of candidates, as provided under Section 52(i) of the 
Omnibus Election Code. 
 


 
Page 5 of 27 
 
SECTION 5. Printing of Official Ballots. - The printing of official 
ballots shall be exclusively done by the National Printing Office and shall 
not be contracted out or outsourced to any private or public person, 
entity, or agency, despite claims of better or higher capacity to do so, not 
even under a valid accreditation pursuant to any law, rules or regulation.  
 
A violation of this Section shall constitute prima facie evidence of 
electoral sabotage and a conspiracy to commit massive electoral fraud. 
 
SECTION 6. Authentication of Ballot and Signature of Chairman and 
Watchers at the Back of Every Ballot. - In every case before delivering an 
official ballot to the voter, the chairman of the board of election inspectors, 
in the presence of the poll watchers and the voter, shall scan the ballot 
under an official bar code scanner to authenticate the same. Thereafter, 
the chairman and the watchers for the dominant majority party and 
dominant minority party shall affix their signatures at the back thereof. 
Failure to authenticate shall constitute an election offense punishable 
under Section 263 and 264 of the Omnibus Election Code and shall be 
noted in the minutes of the board of election inspectors. The same manner 
of authentication of the ballots under the bar code scanner shall likewise 
be observed before reading the ballot during the counting of votes after 
the closing of the polls. 
 
SECTION 7. Manner of Counting Votes. - In addition to the 
requirement in the fourth paragraph of Section 12 of the Republic Act No. 
6646 and Section 210 of the Omnibus Election Code, in reading the official 
ballots during the counting, the chairman, the poll clerk, and the third 
member shall position themselves in a manner that will provide the 
watchers and the public, an unimpeded view of the ballot being read by 
the chairman, the election return, and the tally board being 
simultaneously accomplished by the poll clerk and the third member 
respectively, without touching any of these election documents. The table 
shall be cleared of all unnecessary writing paraphernalia. Any violation 
of this requirement shall constitute an election offense punishable under 
Section 263 and 264 the Omnibus Election Code. Before the start of the 


 
Page 6 of 27 
 
counting, the chairman shall first ascertain whether the back of every 
ballot contains the signatures of the chairman and watchers as required 
by Section 5 hereof. Any ballot without the required signatures shall be 
rejected. 
 
(a) The chairman shall first read the votes for national positions and 
party list choices, and the necessary election returns shall be filled 
out for such positions only, thereby reducing the time for counting, 
as well as the size of paper to be utilized for the election returns. 
Thereafter, the members of the Board shall terminate the counting 
and prepare the election returns as they await distribution to the 
authorized watchers, as provided under Section 8 hereof. 
 
(b) After the reading of the votes for the national positions and the 
party list, the chairman shall then proceed with the reading of the 
votes for the local positions and the corresponding election return 
shall be filled out, prepared, and distributed as provided in Section 
8 hereof. 
 
Any violation of this Section, or any of its pertinent portions, shall 
constitute an election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with 
the Omnibus Election Code.  
 
SECTION 8. Counting of Votes to be Public. - As soon as the voting is 
finished, the board of election inspectors shall publicly count in the 
polling place the votes cast and ascertain the results. The board may 
rearrange the physical set up of the polling place for the counting or 
perform any other activity with respect to the transition from vote 
counting. However, it may do so only in the presence of the watchers and 
within close view of the public. At all times, the ballot boxes and all 
election documents and paraphernalia shall be within close view of the 
watchers and the public. 
 


 
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The board of election inspectors shall not adjourn or postpone or 
delay the counting until it has been fully completed, unless otherwise 
ordered by the Commission. 
 
The Commission, in the interest of free, orderly, and honest election, 
may authorize the board of election inspectors to count the votes and to 
accomplish the election return and other forms prescribed under the code 
in any other place within a public building in the same municipality or 
city on account of imminent danger of widespread violence or similar 
causes of comparable magnitude: Provided, That: the transfer shall been 
recommended in writing by the board of election inspectors by 
unanimous vote and endorsed in writing by the majority of watchers 
present: Provided, further, that the said public building shall not be located 
within the perimeter of or inside a military or police camp, reservation, 
headquarters, detachment or field office nor within the premises of a 
prison or detention bureau or any law enforcement or investigation 
agency. 
 
Any violation of this section, or any of its pertinent portions, shall 
constitute an election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with 
the Omnibus Election Code. 
 
SECTION 9. Election Returns. - The board of election inspectors 
shall prepare the election returns simultaneously with the counting of 
votes in the polling places as prescribed in Section 210 of the Omnibus 
Election Code. The recording of vote shall be made as prescribed in the 
said section. The entry of votes in words and figures for each candidate 
shall be closed with the signature and the clear imprint of the thumbmark 
of the right hand of all the members, likewise to be affixed in full view of 
the public, immediately after the last vote recorded or immediately after 
the name of the candidate who did not receive any vote. 
 
The returns shall also show the date of the election, the polling 
place, the barangay and the city or municipality in which it was held, the 
total number of ballots found in the compartment for valid ballots, the 


 
Page 8 of 27 
 
total number of valid ballots withdrawn from the compartment for 
spoiled ballots which were erroneously placed therein, the total number 
of excess ballots, the total number of marked or void ballots, and the total 
numbers of votes obtained by each candidate. These pieces of information 
that shall be written in words and in figures and, at the end thereof, the 
board of election inspectors shall certify that the contents are correct. The 
returns for national positions and party list shall be accomplished in a 
single sheet of paper, in such cases, additional sheets may be used which 
shall be prepared in the same manner as the first sheet and likewise 
certified by the board of election inspectors. 
 
The Commission shall take steps so that the entries on the first copy 
of the election returns are clearly reproduced on the second, third, fourth, 
fifth, and sixth copies thereof, and for that purpose, the Commission shall 
use a special kind of paper. 
 
SECTION 10. Digital Election Returns. - Simultaneous to the 
counting of the votes and the filling out of the election returns, there shall 
be an independent technician who shall enter the votes, as they are 
counted, into a digital spread sheet, which shall serve as the Digital 
Election Return, in a laptop provided for the purpose, where a 
spreadsheet shall also be projected on a screen while the entries are 
recorded in real time for the watchers to validate and the public to see.  
 
The Digital Election Return shall be equipped with such encryption 
and programs to ensure that the technician, or any person, cannot make 
alterations in any of the entries therein, or the results of the counting, 
except in case of discrepancy with the manual election return as provided 
below. Likewise, the laptop shall be configured to confine its operation 
only for this purpose and to transmit the results of the counting to a secure 
server as hereinafter prescribed.  
 
Immediately upon the accomplishment of the manual election 
return for national positions, the poll clerk shall announce the posting of 
the second copy of the election return on a wall with sufficient lighting 


 
Page 9 of 27 
 
within the premises of the polling place or counting center. He shall then 
proceed to do the same in the presence of the other members of the Board, 
the watchers, and those present in the polling place or counting center. 
Without delay and, when feasible, he shall secure an image of the election 
return using a secured data capturing device and immediately thereafter, 
while in the premises of the polling place or counting center, directly print 
thirty (30) copies of the manual election return.  
 
Likewise, the independent technician, without turning off the 
projected results on the screen, shall print out one copy of the digital 
election return as filled out, and the members of the board and the poll 
watchers shall be asked to authenticate the same by comparing the results 
as printed with the second copy of the manual election return as posted 
and announced. Should the results of the digital election return be found 
to be the same as that of the manual, the members of the board and the 
poll watchers shall affix their signatures and thumb prints in the spaces 
provided and the same shall be placed in the compartment for valid 
ballots in the ballot box. 
 
Should there be any discrepancy between the digital and the 
manual election returns, the results in the manual election return shall 
prevail. However, for purposes of electronic transmission, the chairman, 
the poll clerk and the third member shall encode their digital signatures 
into the laptop to allow the necessary corrections in the digital election 
return to conform to the results as reflected in the manual election return. 
The erroneous digital return shall be torn by half lengthwise and placed 
inside the compartment for spoiled ballots inside the ballot box.  
 
Thereafter, the technician shall print another copy of the digital 
election return and shall allow the board and the poll watchers to 
scrutinize and authenticate the same as prescribed above. When there is 
no more discrepancy in the results, the board and the poll watchers shall 
affix their signatures and thumb prints, and the correct digital election 
return shall be placed in the compartment for valid ballots inside the 
ballot box.  


 
Page 10 of 27 
 
 
Finally, the board shall again enter their respective digital 
signatures to write-protect the memory card containing the digital 
election return and the image of the manual election return, and authorize 
the electronic transmission of the results to the various secure servers as 
prescribed herein. 
 
Once the printouts for the image of the manual election return have 
been produced, the poll clerk shall call the other members of the board to 
authenticate each print copy by closely comparing the same with the 
election return posted on the wall in the presence of the watchers and 
within view of the public. If the Board finds each print a faithful 
reproduction of the election return, all members thereof shall annotate 
and sign a certification to that effect on the bottom front of the print. 
 
Each certified printed copy shall be placed in an envelope and 
distributed as herein provided. Designated recipients of the certified print 
copies may receive their copies at the polling place or counting center. 
 
Immediately upon the accomplishment of the election returns for 
local position, the second copy of the same shall be posted on a wall with 
sufficient lighting within the premises of the polling place. 
 
The digital election return shall be printed out and authenticated as 
prescribed above for the national positions. 
 
The other copies of election returns for both national and local 
position shall be sealed in the presence of the watchers and the public, 
and placed in the proper envelope, which shall likewise be sealed and 
distributed as herein provided. 
 
Any election return with a separately printed serial number or 
which bears a different serial number from that assigned to the particular 
polling place concerned shall not be canvassed and shall be declared as 
spurious and fake, and shall be a ground for a pre-proclamation 


 
Page 11 of 27 
 
controversy. This is to be determined by the board of canvassers prior to 
its canvassing on the basis of the certification of the provincial, city or 
municipal treasurer as to the serial number of the election return assigned 
to said voting precinct, unless the Commission shall order in writing for 
its canvassing, stating the reason for the variance in serial numbers. 
 
If the signatures and/or thumbmarks of the members of the board 
of election inspectors or some of them as required in this provision are 
missing in the election returns, the board of canvassers may summon the 
members of the board of election inspectors concerned to complete the 
returns. 
 
The citizen's arm is mandated to present for perusal its copy of the 
election return to the board of election canvassers upon the request of any 
interested candidate. 
 
Any violation of this election or its pertinent portion, shall 
constitute an election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with 
the Omnibus Election Code. 
 
SECTION 11. Number of Copies of Election Returns and their 
Distribution. – The board of election inspectors shall prepare in 
handwriting the election returns in their respective polling place, in the 
number of copies herein provided, and in the form to be prescribed and 
provided by the Commission. 
 
The chairman of the board of election inspectors shall distribute the 
copies of election returns as follows: 
 
(a) In the election of president, vice-president, senators and members 
of the House of Representatives including the party-list 
representatives:  
 
1. The digital election return shall be electronically transmitted to 
the secure servers and the first copy of the manual election 


 
Page 12 of 27 
 
return, as digitally captured and printed, shall be delivered to 
city or municipal board of canvassers immediately after the 
closing of the polls;  
 
2. The second copy to be posted on a wall within the premises of 
the polling place; 
 
3. The third copy, to the congress, directed to the President of the 
Senate; 
 
4. The fourth copy, to the Commission; 
 
5. The fifth copy, to the dominant majority party as determined by 
the Commission in accordance with law; 
 
6. The sixth copy, to the dominant minority party as determined by 
the Commission in accordance with law; 
 
7. The seventh copy, to a citizens' assembly authorized by the 
Commission to conduct an unofficial count: Provided, however, 
That the accreditation of the citizens' arm shall be subject to the 
provision of Section 52(k) of the Omnibus Election Code; and 
 
8. The eighth copy shall be deposited inside the compartment of the 
ballot box for valid ballots. 
 
(b) In the election of local officials:  
 
1. The digital election return shall be electronically transmitted to 
the secure servers and the first copy of the manual election 
return, as digitally captured and printed, shall be delivered to 
city or municipal board of canvassers immediately after the 
closing of the polls; 
 


 
Page 13 of 27 
 
2. The second copy to be posted on a wall within the premises of 
the polling place; 
 
3. The third copy, to the Commission; 
 
4. The fourth copy, to the provincial board of canvassers; 
 
5. The fifth copy, to the dominant majority party as determined by 
the Commission in accordance with law; 
 
6. The sixth copy, to the dominant minority party as determined by 
the Commission in accordance with law; 
 
7. The seventh copy, to a citizens' arm authorized by the 
Commission to conduct an unofficial count: Provided, however, 
That the accreditation of the citizens' arm shall be subject to the 
provisions of Section 52(k) of the Omnibus Election Code; and 
 
8. The eighth copy shall be deposited inside the compartment of the 
ballot box for valid votes. 
 
The copy of the election return posted on the wall shall be open for 
public viewing at any time of the day for forty-eight (48) hours following 
its posting. Any person may view or capture an image of the election 
return by means of any data capturing device such as, but not limited to, 
cameras at any time of the day for forty-eight (48) hours following its 
posting. After the prescribed period for posting, the chairman of the board 
of election inspectors shall collect the posted election returns and keep the 
same in his custody to be produced for image or data capturing as may 
be requested by any voter or any lawful purpose as may be ordered by 
competent authority. 
 
Except for those copies that are required to be delivered, copies of 
election returns may be claimed at the polling place. Any unclaimed copy 
shall be brought by the chairman of the board of election inspectors to the 


 
Page 14 of 27 
 
canvassing center where the recipients or their representatives may claim 
them. Copies still unclaimed at the canvassing center shall be deemed 
placed in the custody of the chairman of the board of election inspectors, 
who shall produce them when requested by the recipient or when ordered 
by a competent authority. 
 
The Thirty (30) certified print copies of the election return for national 
positions shall be distributed as follows: 
 
(a) The first fourteen (14) copies shall be given to the fourteen (14) 
accredited major national parties in accordance with a voluntary 
agreement among them. If no such agreement is reached, the 
Commission shall decide which parties shall receive the copies on 
the basis of the criteria provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 7166;  
 
(b) The next three copies shall be given to the three accredited major 
local parties in accordance with a voluntary agreement among 
them. If no such agreement is reached, the Commission shall decide 
which parties shall receive the copies on the basis of criteria 
analogous to that provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 7166;  
 
(c) The next five copies shall be given to national broadcast or print 
media entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission 
in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;  
 
(d) The next two copies shall be given to local broadcast or print media 
entities as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view 
of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;  
 
(e) The next four copies to the major citizens' arms, including the 
accredited citizens' arms and other non-partisan groups or 
organizations enlisted by the Commission pursuant to Section 52(k) 
of the Omnibus Election Code;  
 


 
Page 15 of 27 
 
(f) The next copy to be placed inside the compartment of the ballot box 
for valid ballots; and 
 
(g) The last copy to the provincial board of canvassers. 
 
The certified print copies may be claimed at the polling place. Any 
unclaimed copy shall be brought by the chairman of the board of election 
inspectors to the canvassing center where the recipients or representatives 
may claim them. Copies still unclaimed at the canvassing center shall be 
placed in the custody of the chairman of the board election inspectors, 
who shall produce them when requested by the recipient or when ordered 
by a competent authority. 
 
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any of the 
recipients of the print or digital copies of the election return may conduct 
an unofficial consolidation of votes and may announce the result to the 
public. 
 
The Commission shall post its digital files in its website for the public 
to view or download at any time of the day. The Commission shall 
maintain the files at least three years from the date of posting. 
 
Any violation of this section, or its pertinent portion, shall constitute 
an election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with the 
Omnibus Election Code;  
 
SECTION 12. The Use of a Tally Board Not Allowed. - The use of a 
tally board, commonly used by Boards of Election Inspectors at the 
precinct level is no longer allowed and shall be replaced by the projected 
real-time input of results in the digital election return, as provided above. 
 
SECTION 13. Canvassing by Provincial City, District, and Municipal 
Board of Canvassers. – The city or municipal board of canvassers shall 
canvass the electronically transmitted election return for President, Vice- 
President, Senator, Party-list representatives and Members of the House 


 
Page 16 of 27 
 
of Representatives and for elective provincial and city or municipal 
officials: Provided, That: the returns for national positions shall be 
canvassed first. Upon completion of the canvass, it shall prepare the 
certificate of canvass for Representatives and elective provincial officials, 
announce the results of the election for national positions in the city or 
municipality and, thereafter, proclaim the elected city or municipal 
officials, as the case may be. 
 
The city board of canvassers of cities comprising one or more 
legislative districts shall canvass the electronically transmitted election 
returns for President, Vice-President, Senator, party-list representatives, 
Members of the House of Representatives and elective city officials: 
Provided, That: the returns for national positions shall be canvassed first. 
Upon completion of the canvass, the board shall prepare the certificate of 
canvass of the President, Vice-President, Senator and Party-list 
representatives, announce the results of the election for national positions 
in the city and, thereafter, proclaim the elected members of the House of 
Representatives and city officials. 
 
In the Metro Manila Area, such municipality comprising a legislative 
district shall have district board of canvassers which shall canvass the 
electronically transmitted election return for President, Vice-Presidents, 
Senator, Party-list representatives, Members for the House of 
Representatives and elective municipal officials: Provided, That: the 
returns for national positions shall be canvassed first. Upon completion 
of the canvass, it shall prepare the certificate of canvass for President, 
Vice- Presidents, Senators, and party-list representatives, announce the 
results of the election for national position in the municipality, and 
thereafter, proclaim the elected member of the House of the 
Representatives and city officials. 
 
Each component municipality in a legislative district in the Metro 
Manila Area shall have a municipal board of canvassers which shall 
canvass the electronically transmitted election returns for President, Vice-
President, Senator, party-list representatives, Members of the House of 


 
Page 17 of 27 
 
Representatives and elective municipal officials: Provided, That: the 
returns for national positions shall be canvassed first. Upon completion 
of the canvass, it shall prepare the certificate of canvass for Presidents, 
Vice-Presidents, Senators, Party-list representatives and Members of the 
House of the Representatives, announce the results of the election for 
national position in the municipality, and thereafter, proclaim the elected 
municipal officials. 
 
The district board of canvassers of each legislative district comprising 
two municipalities in Metro Manila area shall canvass the certificate of 
canvass for President, Vice-President, Senator, Party-list representatives 
and Members of the House of Representatives submitted by the 
municipal board of canvassers of the component municipalities. Upon 
completion of the canvass, it shall prepare a certificate of canvass for 
President, Vice President, Senator, and party-list representatives, 
announce the results of the election for national positions in the district, 
and thereafter, proclaim the elected Member of the House of the 
Representatives in the legislative district. 
 
The provincial board of canvassers shall canvass the electronically 
transmitted certificate of canvass for President, Vice President, Senators, 
Party-list representatives, Members of the House of Representatives and 
elective provincial officials as well as plebiscite results, if any plebiscite is 
conducted simultaneously with the same election, as submitted by the 
board of canvassers of municipalities and component cities: Provided, 
That: the certificates of canvass for national position shall be canvassed 
first. Upon completion of the canvass, the provincial board of canvassers 
shall prepare the certificate of canvass for President, Vice President, 
Senators, and party-list representatives, announce the results of the 
election for national position in the province, and proclaim the elected 
members of the House of Representatives and provincial officials as well 
as the plebiscite results, if any. 
 
In conducting the canvass of election returns or certificates of canvass, 
as the case may be, the board of canvassers in a municipality, city, district, 


 
Page 18 of 27 
 
or province shall project each election return or certificate of canvass on a 
wall from which its contents shall be read in order that those present in 
the canvassing center may follow the progress of the canvassing process 
from beginning to end. The Commission may utilize the appropriate 
projection equipment for this purpose. 
 
Immediately after the certificate of canvass for national positions is 
accomplished, the chairman of the board of canvassers shall announce the 
posting of the second copy thereof and its supporting statement of votes 
on a wall with sufficient lighting within the premises of the canvassing 
center. He shall then proceed to do the same in the present in the 
canvassing center. Without delay and when feasible, he shall capture 
images of the certificate of canvass and supporting statements of votes 
using a secured data capturing device and thereafter, while in the 
premises of the canvassing center, immediately print the data so captured 
in thirty (30) copies. The board of canvassers shall then authenticate each 
printed copy, in the presence of watchers and within public view, by 
closely comparing the same with the certificate of canvass or statement of 
votes, as the case may be, posted on of the wall. If the board finds each 
printed copy a faithful reproduction of the certificate of canvass or 
statement of votes, all members thereof shall annotate and sign a 
certification to that effect on the bottom front of the printed copy. 
 
Each certified printed copy shall be placed in an envelope and 
distributed as herein provided. Designated recipients of the certified 
printed copies may receive their copies at the canvassing center. 
 
The chairman of the board shall transmit the digital files with digital 
encryptions for security reasons of the certificate of canvass and its 
supporting statement of votes using a secured transmission device with 
authentication features to the secured tabulation system of the 
Commission and to the systems of the other designated recipients as 
herein provided. 
 


 
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Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any of the 
recipients of the print or digital copies of the certificate of canvass and the 
supporting statements of votes may conduct an unofficial consolidation 
of votes and may announce the result thereof to the public. 
 
Any violation of this section, or its pertinent portion, shall constitute 
an election offence and shall be penalized in accordance with the 
Omnibus Election Code. 
 
SECTION 14. Number of Copies of Certificate of Canvass and their 
Distribution. –  
(a) The certificate of canvass for President, Vice President, Senators, 
Members of the House of Representatives, and elective provincial 
officials shall be prepared in seven (7) copies by the city or 
municipal board of canvassers and distributed as follows: 
 
1. The first copy shall be delivered to the provincial board of 
canvassers for use in the canvass election results for President, 
Vice-President, Senators, and Member of the House of 
Representatives and elective provincial officials; 
 
2.  The second copy shall be sent to the Commission; 
 
3. The third copy shall be posted on a wall within the premises of   
                the canvassing center; 
 
4. The fourth copy shall be kept by the chairman of the board; and 
 
5. The fifth copy shall be given the citizens' arm designated by the 
Commission to conduct a media-based unofficial count, and the 
sixth and seventh copies shall be given to the citizen's arm 
designated by the Commission to conduct a media - based 
unofficial count, and the sixth and seventh copies shall be given 
to the representatives of two of the six major political parties in 
accordance with the voluntary agreement of the parties. If no 


 
Page 20 of 27 
 
such agreement is reached, the commission shall decide which 
parties shall receive the copies of the certificate of the canvass on 
the basis of the criteria provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 
7166. The parties receiving the certificate shall have obligation to 
furnish the other parties with authentic copies thereof with the 
at least possible delay. 
 
(b) The certificates of canvass for President, Vice President, Senators, 
Members of the House of Representatives, and elective city officials 
shall be prepared in seven (7) copies by the city boards of canvassers 
of cities comprising of one or more legislative districts, by provincial 
boards of canvassers in the Metro Manila Area, and distributed as 
follows: 
 
1. The first copy shall be sent to the Congress directed to the 
President of the Senate for use in the canvass of election results 
for President and Vice President; 
 
2. The second copy shall be sent to the Commission for use in the 
canvass of the election results for Senators; 
 
3. The third copy shall be posted on a wall within the premises of 
the canvassing center; 
 
4. The fourth copy shall be kept by the Chairman of the Board; and 
 
5. The fifth copy shall be given to the citizens’ arm designated by 
the Commission to conduct a media -based unofficial count, and 
the sixth and seventh copies shall be given to the representatives 
of two of the six major political parties. If no such agreement is 
reached, the Commission shall decide which parties shall receive 
the copies of the certificate of canvass on the basis of the criteria 
provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 7166. The parties 
receiving the certificates shall have the obligation to furnish the 


 
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other parties with authentic copies thereof with the least possible 
delay. 
 
The certificate of canvass posted on the wall shall be open for public 
viewing at any time of the day for forty-eight (48) hours following its 
posting. Any person may view or capture an image of the certificate of 
canvass. After the prescribed period for posting, the chairman of the 
board of canvassers shall collect the posted certificate of canvass and keep 
the same in his custody to be produced for image or data capturing as 
may be requested by any voter or for any lawful purpose as may be 
ordered competent authority. 
 
Except for those copies that are required to be delivered, copies of 
certificates of canvass may be claimed at the canvassing center. Any 
unclaimed copy shall be deemed placed in the custody of the chairman of 
the board of canvassers, who shall produce them requested by the 
recipient or when ordered by a competent authority. 
 
The thirty (30) certified print copies of the certificate canvass for 
national positions shall be distributed as follows: 
 
1. The first fourteen (14) copies shall be given to the fourteen (14) 
accredited major national parties in accordance with a voluntary 
agreement among them. If no such agreement is reached, the 
Commission shall decide which parties shall receive the copies on 
the basis of the criteria provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 7166;  
 
2.  The next three copies shall be given to the three accredited major 
local parties in accordance with a voluntary agreement among 
them. If no such agreement is reached, the Commission shall decide 
which parties shall receive the copies in the basis of criteria 
analogous to the provided in Section 26 of Republic Act 7166;  
 


 
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3.  The next five copies shall be given to national broadcast or print 
media entities as may be equitably determined by the commission 
in view of propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;  
 
4.  The next two copies shall be given to local broadcast or print media 
entitles as may be equitably determined by the Commission in view 
propagating the copies to the widest extent possible; 
 
5. The next four copies to the major citizen's arms, including 
accredited citizen' arm, and other non -partisan groups or 
organizations enlisted by the commission pursuant to section 52(k) 
of the Omnibus Election Code; and 
 
6. The last two copies to be kept in file by the chairman of the board of 
canvassers to be subsequently distributed as the national board of 
canvassers may direct. 
 
The certified print copies may be claimed at the canvassing center. Any 
unclaimed copy shall be deemed place in the custody of the chairman of 
the board of canvassers, who shall produce them when requested by the 
recipient or when ordered by a competent authority. 
 
The Commission shall post its digital files in its website for the public 
to view or download at any time of the day. The Commission shall 
maintain the files for at least three years from the date of posting. 
 
Any violation of this section, or its pertinent portion, shall constitute 
an election offense and shall be penalized in accordance with the 
Omnibus Election Code.  
 
SECTION 15. Congress as the National Board of Canvassers for the 
Election of President and Vice President: The Commission en banc as the 
National Board of Canvassers for the election of senators: Determination 
of Authenticity and Due Execution of Certificates of Canvass. –  Congress 
and the Commission en banc shall determine the authenticity and due 


 
Page 23 of 27 
 
execution of the electronically transmitted certificates for President and 
Vice-President and Senators, respectively, as accomplished and 
transmitted to it by the local boards of canvassers, on a showing that:  
  
(a) each certificate of canvass was executed, signed and thumb marked 
by the chairman and member of the board of canvassers and 
transmitted or caused to be transmitted to Congress by them;  
 
(b) each certificate of canvass contains the names of all of the 
candidates for President, Vice President, Senators, as the case may 
be, and their corresponding votes in words and their corresponding 
votes in words and in figures;  
 
(c)  there exists no discrepancy in other authentic copies of the 
document such as statement of votes of any of its supporting 
document such as statement of votes by city or municipality or by 
precinct or discrepancy in the votes of any candidate in words and 
figures in the certificate; a 
 
(d) there exists 
 no discrepancy in the votes of any candidate in 
words and figures in the certificates of canvass against the 
aggregate number of votes appearing in the election returns of 
precincts covered by the certificate of canvass: Provided, That:  
certified print copies of election returns or certificates of canvass 
may be used for the purpose of verifying the existence of the 
discrepancy. 
 
When the certificate of canvass, duly certified by the board of 
canvassers of each province, city of district, appears to be incomplete, the 
Senate President or the Chairman of the Commission, as the case may be, 
shall require the board of canvassers concerned to transmit by personal 
delivery, the election returns from polling places that were not included 
in the certificate of canvass and supporting statements. Said election 
returns shall be submitted by personal delivery within two (2) days from 
receipt of notice. 


 
Page 24 of 27 
 
 
When it appears that any certificate of canvass or supporting statement 
of votes of each province, city of district, appears to be incomplete, the 
Senate President or the Chairman of the Commission, as the case may be, 
shall require the board of canvassers concerned to transmit by personal 
delivery, the election returns from polling places that were not included 
in the certificate of canvass and supporting statements. Said election 
returns shall be submitted by personal delivery within two (2) days from 
receipt of notice. 
 
When it appears that any certificate of canvass including other duly 
certified printed copies thereof or supporting statement of votes by 
city/municipality or by precinct bears erasures or alteration that may cast 
doubt on the veracity of the number of votes stated herein and may affect 
the result of the election, the Presidential, Vice Presidential, or the 
Senatorial candidate shall require the board of canvassers concerned to 
transmit the election returns from polling places that were not included 
in the certificate of canvass and supporting statements by personal 
delivery, for the sole purpose of verifying the actual number of votes as 
they appear in the copies of the election returns. 
 
Any person who presents in evidence a simulated copy of an election 
return, certificate of canvass or statement of votes, or a printed copy of an 
election return, certificate of canvass or statement of votes bearing a 
simulated certification or a simulated image, shall be guilty of an election 
offense shall be penalized in accordance with the Omnibus Election Code.  
 
SECTION 
16. 
 
Communication 
Channels 
for 
Electronic 
Transmissions. - Electronic transmission which is defined under R.A. 
9369 as conveying data in electronic form from one location to another 
shall be guided by the following: all electronic transmissions of the 
election returns, certificates of canvass and other related documents shall 
utilize secure transmission channels as recommended by the Department 
of Science and Technology and the National Telecommunications 
Commission to ensure authentication and integrity of transmission.  


 
Page 25 of 27 
 
 
The Commission is hereby authorized to procure the necessary 
equipment, facilities, and services for putting up the electronic 
transmission system in order to effectively implement the provisions of 
this act.  
 
Electronic transmission of the election returns and such other 
related documents from the precinct level shall be forwarded to the 
COMELEC office and to the national broadcast or print media entities as 
may be equitably be determined by the COMELEC.  
 
SECTION 17. Pre-proclamation controversy. – In case of any 
discrepancy, incompleteness, erasure or alteration as mentioned above, 
the procedure on pre-proclamation controversies shall be adopted and 
applied as provided in Sections 17, 18, 19, and 20 of Republic Act No. 7166.  
 
SECTION 18. Election Offenses under this Act. – In addition to the 
violations of the pertinent provisions of this Act, the following shall also 
constitute election offenses: 
 
(a) Any person who removes the election return that is posted on the 
wall, whether within or after the prescribed forty-eight (48) hours 
of posting, or defaces the same in any manner; and 
 
(b) Any person who simulates an actual election return, or a print or 
digital copy thereof; and 
 
(c) Any person who simulates the certification in a print of an election 
return; and 
 
(d) The chairman or any member of the board of election inspectors 
who, during the prescribe period of posting, removes the election 
return from the wall on which it had been posted other than for the 
purpose of immediately transferring it to a more suitable place; and 


 
Page 26 of 27 
 
(e)  The chairman or any member of the board of election inspectors 
who signs or authenticates a print of the election return outside of 
the polling place; and 
 
(f) The chairman or any member of the board of election inspectors 
who signs or authenticates a print which bears an image different 
from the election return produced after counting and posted on the 
wall; and 
 
(g) Any person who removes the certificate of canvass posted on the 
wall, whether within or after the prescribed forty-eight (48) hours 
of posting, or defaces the same in any manner; and 
 
(h) Any person who simulates an actual certificate of canvass or 
statement of votes, or a print or digital copy thereof; and 
 
(i) Any person who simulates the certification of a certificate of canvass 
or statement of votes; and 
 
(j) The chairman or any member of the board of canvassers who, 
during the prescribed period of posting, remove the certificate of 
canvass or its supporting statement of votes from the wall on which 
they have been posted other than for the purpose of immediately 
transferring them to a more suitable place; and 
 
(k) The chairman of any member of the board of canvassers who sign 
or authenticates a print of the certificate of canvass or its supporting 
statement of votes outside of the polling place; and 
 
(l) The chairman or any member of the board of canvassers who sign 
or authenticate a print that bears an image different from the 
certificate of canvass or statement of votes produced after counting 
and posted on the wall.  
 


 
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SECTION 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations and Bidding. 
Immediately upon the approval of this Act, the Commission shall 
formulate such rules and regulations that will effectively implement this 
Act for purposes of the 2025 national, local, and ARMM elections and all 
subsequent elections thereafter. In addition, the Commission shall 
prescribe the technical specifications for the electronic devices and 
computer programs to be used for implementing of this Act, with an aim 
to ensure fair, honest, and orderly elections and prompt determination of 
the true results thereof. 
 
SECTION 20. Appropriations. - Congress shall provide the necessary 
appropriation in a supplemental budget or general appropriations act, as 
the case may be, without delay and for purposes of the 2025 national, 
local, and ARMM elections. 
 
SECTION 21. Separability Clause - – If any part or provision of this 
Act is held unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected hereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
resolutions, revenue regulations, ordinances, or circulars inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly or declared null and void and inoperative. 
  
Approved,