Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session​
HOUSE BILL NO.__________ 
Introduced by 4Ps Partylist Representative 
JC M. ABALOS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Voting is a fundamental human right that is absolutely vital in the democratic 
process. No less than the highest law of the land guarantees each Filipino citizen’s 
right to suffrage. As stated in the Philippine Constitution, “no literacy, property, or 
other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.” Unless 
disqualified by law, this right has very minimal requirements in age and residency. It 
is, therefore, the role of the government to take proactive measures to guarantee that 
all citizens have the opportunity to exercise this right to their fullest extent. 
This bill endeavors to fulfill that role. 
This legislative measure aims to expand the options for registration and 
voting for Filipinos overseas. In the latest data from the Philippine Statistics 
Authority, there is an estimated 2.16 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).1 
While current laws, such as Republic Act No. 10590, provide a system for absentee 
voting by qualified Filipinos abroad, the existing mechanisms remain limited and 
may inadvertently disenfranchise many of our OFWs. 
To address these limitations and further encourage participation, this measure 
specifically allows for the registration, certification, and transfer of registration of 
overseas voters by mail or by electronic means. Additionally, it includes electronic 
1 Philippine Statistics Authority, "Survey on Overseas Filipinos," 
https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-and-employment/survey-overseas-filipinos. 
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voting as an additional option for overseas voting, complementing the existing 
in-person and mail-in methods. 
Further, to safeguard the integrity of this expanded system, the bill also 
broadens the scope of prohibited acts under the law to include the theft, 
concealment, alteration, destruction, mutilation, manipulation, and tampering of 
electronic data or information. 
This bill was first filed during the 19th Congress by Congresswoman Marissa 
“Del Mar” P. Magsino. The measure was subsequently substituted by House Bill No. 
10178, which successfully passed on its third and final reading and was consequently 
transmitted to the Senate. 
Therefore, its immediate passage is earnestly sought. 
JC M. ABALOS 
Representative 
4Ps Partylist 
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session​
HOUSE BILL NO.__________ 
Introduced by 4Ps Partylist Representative 
JC M. ABALOS 
AN ACT 
ALLOWING FOR ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION AND VOTING OVERSEAS, 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
"THE OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING ACT OF 2003", AS AMENDED BY 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10590, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE OVERSEAS 
VOTING ACT OF 2013", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Overseas 
Electronic Registration and Voting Act". 
SEC. 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as "The 
Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003", as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
"SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act: 
XXX 
(k) Overseas Voting refers to the process by which qualified citizens of
the Philippines abroad exercise their right to vote, EITHER IN PERSON AT 
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ANY POST ABROAD OR AT DESIGNATED VOTING CENTERS 
OUTSIDE THE POST, BY MAIL, OR BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, 
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WEB-BASED PORTALS, AND 
OTHER INTERNET-BASED TECHNOLOGIES, TO RECEIVE BALLOTS 
AND CAST VOTES THEREON, AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE 
COMMISSION. 
 
XXX." 
 
SEC. 3. Section 6 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 6. [Personal] Overseas Registration and/or Certification. - 
Registration and/or certification as an overseas voter shall be done EITHER 
in person at any post abroad or at designated registration centers outside the 
post or in the Philippines, [approved by the Commission.] BY MAIL, OR BY 
ELECTRONIC 
MEANS 
AS 
MAY 
BE 
DETERMINED 
BY 
THE 
COMMISSION: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, IN TIMES OF PUBLIC CRISIS, 
THE COMMISSION IS AUTHORIZED TO SUSPEND REGISTRATION 
IN PERSON TO PRIORITIZE SAFE ALTERNATIVE METHODS. 
 
Field and mobile registration centers shall be set up by the posts concerned to 
ensure accessibility by the overseas voters. 
 
[All applicants shall submit themselves for live capture of their biometrics.] 
THE COMMISSION, THROUGH THE OFOV, IN COORDINATION 
WITH 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS 
(FA), 
THE 
DEPARTMENT OF MIGRANT WORKERS (DMW), THE MARITIME 
INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA), THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS 
AUTHORITY 
(PSA), 
AND 
OTHER 
RELEVANT 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES SHALL OBTAIN BIOMETRIC DATA OF QUALIFIED 
OVERSEAS VOTERS: PROVIDED, THAT PROCESSING OF PERSONAL 
DATA SHALL COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 10173 OR THE DATA PRIVACY ACT OF 2012, ITS IMPLEMENTING 
RULES AND REGULATIONS AND RELATED ISSUANCES OF THE 
NATIONAL PRIVACY COMMISSION; 
 
The Commission shall issue an overseas voter identification card to those 
whose applications to vote, EITHER IN PERSON, BY MAIL, OR BY 
ELECTRONIC 
MEANS 
AS 
MAY 
BE 
DETERMINED 
BY 
THE 
COMMISSION, have been approved." 
 
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SEC. 4. Section 10 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 10. Transfer of Registration Record. - In the event of change of 
voting venue, an application for transfer of registration record must be filed 
by the overseas voter with the OFOV, through its Chairperson, EITHER IN 
PERSON, BY MAIL, OR BY ELECTRONIC MEANS AS MAY BE 
DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION, at least one hundred eighty (180) 
days prior to the start of the overseas voting period: Provided, That those 
who would eventually vote in the Philippines should register within the time 
frame provided for local registration in the municipality, city or district where 
they intend to vote: Provided, further, That those who have registered in the 
municipality, city or district where they resided prior to their departure 
abroad need not register anew: Provided, finally, That transferees shall notify 
the OFOV, through its Chairperson, of their transfer back to the Philippines at 
least one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the next national elections for 
purposes of cancelling their names from the CLOV and of removing their 
overseas voter's registration from the book of voters." 
 
SEC. 5. Section 13 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 13. National Registry of Overseas Voters (NROV). - The 
Commission shall maintain a National Registry of Overseas Voters or NROV 
containing the names of registered overseas voters and the posts where they 
are 
registered[.]:PROVIDED, 
THAT 
THE 
COMMISSION 
SHALL 
INSTITUTE SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT THE DATA PRIVACY RIGHTS 
OF OVERSEAS VOTERS. 
 
XXX.” 
 
SEC. 6. Section 23 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 23. Voting. - Voting may be done either personally, by mail or by 
any [other] ELECTRONIC means as may be determined by the Commission. 
For this purpose, the Commission shall issue the necessary guidelines on the 
manner and procedures of voting AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TWENTY 
(120) DAYS PRIOR TO THE CONDUCT OF THE NEXT NATIONAL AND 
LOCAL ELECTIONS. 
 
XXX." 
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SEC. 7. Section 17 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 17. Voting by Mail OR BY ELECTRONIC MEANS. — 
 
17.1. [For the May, 2004 elections,] [t|The Commission shall authorize 
voting by mail [in not more than three (3) countries, subject to the 
approval of the Congressional Oversight Committee] OR BY 
ELECTRONIC MEANS IN ALL POSTS ABROAD. Voting by mail 
may be allowed in countries that satisfy the following conditions: 
(a) XXX 
(b) XXX 
(c) XXX 
 
ELECTRONIC VOTING MAY BE ALLOWED IN COUNTRIES AS 
MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION. 
 
[Thereafter, voting by mail in any country shall be allowed only upon 
review and approval of the joint Congressional Oversight Committee.] 
17.2. XXX 
 
17.3. Only [mailed] ballots TRANSMITTED BY MAIL OR BY 
ELECTRONIC MEANS AND received by the post before the close of 
voting on the day of elections shall be counted in accordance with 
Section 27 hereof. All envelopes containing the ballots received by the 
posts after the prescribed period shall not be opened, and shall be 
cancelled and disposed of appropriately, with a corresponding report 
thereon submitted to the Commission not later than thirty (30) days 
from the day of elections.” 
 
SEC. 8. Section 32 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 32. Information Campaign. - The Commission, in coordination 
with agencies concerned, shall undertake an information campaign to 
educate the public on the manner of overseas voting for qualified overseas 
voters. It may require the support and assistance of the DFA, through the 
posts, [the DOLE, the Department of Transportation and Communications 
(DOTC)], THE DMW, THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND 
COMMUNICATIONS 
TECHNOLOGY 
(DICT), 
THE 
NATIONAL 
PRIVACY COMMISSION (NPC), THE MARINA, the Philippine Postal 
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Corporation (PPC), [the POEA,] the OWWA and the Commission on Filipinos 
Overseas. 
 
XXX." 
 
SEC. 9. Section 34 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 34. Assistance from Government Agencies. - All government 
officers, particularly from the DFA, [the DOLE, the DOTC], THE DMW, THE 
DICT, THE NPC, THE MARINA, the PPC, [the POEA,] the OWWA, the 
Commission on Filipinos Overseas and other government offices concerned 
with the welfare of the Filipinos overseas shall, to the extent compatible with 
their primary responsibilities, assist the Commission in carrying out the 
provisions of this Act. All such agencies or officers thereof shall take 
reasonable measures to expedite all election activities, which the Commission 
shall require of them. When necessary, the Commission may send 
supervisory teams headed by career officers to assist the posts. 
 
XXX." 
 
SEC. 10. Section 36 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended 
to read as follows: 
 
"SEC. 36. Prohibited Acts. - In addition to the prohibited acts provided 
by law, it shall be unlawful: 
 
36.1. XXX 
 
XXX 
 
36.3. For any person to steal, conceal, alter, destroy, mutilate, 
manipulate, or in any way tamper with the mail [,] OR ELECTRONIC 
DATA OR INFORMATION containing the ballots for overseas voters, 
the ballot, the election returns, or any record, document or paper 
required for the purposes of this Act; 
 
XXX 
 
36.7. XXX 
 
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36.8. [For any person to engage in partisan political activity abroad 
during the thirty (30)-day overseas voting period;] 
 
[36.9.] For any person who is not a citizen of the Philippines to 
participate, by word or deed, directly or indirectly through qualified 
organizations/associations, in any manner and at any stage of the 
Philippine political process abroad, including participation in the 
campaign and elections. 
 
XXX.” 
 
SEC. 11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the respective budgets of the agencies concerned in the 
annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Commission shall 
promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of the 
provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity thereof. 
 
In the formulation of the rules and regulations, the Commission shall 
coordinate with the DFA, DOLE, DMW, OWWA, DICT, Marina, PSA, Commission 
on Filipinos Overseas, and other relevant agencies. Nongovernment organizations 
and accredited Filipino organizations or associations abroad shall be consulted. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations, other issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved, 
 
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