THIRTEENTH 
SS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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First Regular Session 
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0F:THE PHILI!F'PINES 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Electing sectoral representatives to local legislative bodies is essential in upholding the 
rights of the people and their organizations to bffective and reasonable participation at all levels 
of social, political, and economic decision-making activities. As such, Republic Act No. 7160 
(Local Government Code of 1991), Section 41, Paragraph C, specifically provides for sectoral 
representatives to the Sungguniang Punlalawigun, Sungguniang Punlungsod, and Sungguniun 
Buyan. 
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Despite the effectivity of the said Code on 1 January 1992, the elections for sectoral 
representatives to the local sungguniuns has been deterred due to lack of an enabling law. 
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Thus this bill provides for the manner. and date of the election of sectoral representatives 
to the various local legislative bodies. 
This is the substitute form of a bill discussed in public hearings during the Tenth 
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Congress. 


THIRTEENTH CONG~ESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILkPINES 
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btroduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MANNER AND DATE OF ELECTION OF SECTORAL 
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LOCAL SANGGUNIANS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OfRepresentatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to have sectoral 
representatives to legislative bodies of local governments and to uphold the rights of the people 
and their organizations to effective and reasonable partic$&ion at all levels of social, political 
and economic decision;making. 
SECTION 2. Dejinition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
(1) “Workers” refer to industrial workers or peasants; 
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(2) “Sectoral Organization” refers to a group of citizens, or coalitions of groups of 
citizens who share similar physical attributes or characteristics, profession, employment, 
interests or concern; and 
(3) Tommission” refers to the Commission on Elections. 
SECTION 3. Election of Sectoral Representatives. - There shall be three (3) sectoral 
representatives in the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang 
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Panlalawigan who shall be elected pursuant to this Act: one (1) from the women sector, one (1) 
from the workers, and one (1) from any of the following sectors: the urban poor, indigenous 
cultural communities, disabled persons, or any other sector as may be determined by the 
Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod concerned within ninety (90) days prior to the 
holding of the next local elections. 


SECTION 4. bate of Election. - The first election for sectoral representatives in the 
Sangguniang Buyan and Sungguniang Panlungsod shall be held simultaneously with the local 
elections on the second Monday of May, 2007. Thirty days thereafter, the first elections for 
sectoral representatives in the Sungguniung Punluluwigurr shall be held. 
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The sncceedini elections for sectoral representatives in the Sungguniung Bayan and 
Sangguniang 
od shall be held simultaneously with the local elections. Thirty (30) days 
elections for sectoral representatives in the Sungguniung Panluluwigan 
shall be held. 
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SECTION 5 .  Registration of Sectoral Organization. - Any sectoral organization with a 
membership of not less than twenty-five (25) registered voters may file with the Commission a 
petition verified by its President or Secretary stating its desire to participate in the election of 
sectoral representatives, attaching thereto its constitution, by-laws, program of government, list 
of officers, coalition agreement, certificate of accreditation by a government agency, if any, and 
other information as the Commission may require. 
The Commission shall post the p etition i n  the office of the election officer and in the 
bulletin board of each city or municipal hall. 
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The Commission shall, after due notice and hearing, resolve the petition within fifteen 
(15) days from the dat it was submitted for decision but in no case not later than one hundred 
eighty (180) days before election. 
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The municipal or city chapters of a registered provincial, regional or nationwide sectoral 
organizations shall be deemed registered: Provided that, the local chapters shall notify and 
submit a proof of chapter affiliation and registration of such provincial, regional, or nationwide 
sectoral organization to, the City or Municipal Election Officer. 
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SECTION 6. Munifestution to Participate in the Election. - Any registered sectoral 
organization ma file with the Commission, not later than ninety (90) days before every election, 
a manifestation of its dksire to participate in the election, 
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SECTION 7. Removal or Cancellation of Registration. - The Commission may motu 
propio or upon verified complaint of any interested party, remove or cancel, after due notice and 
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foundation, organization, 
hearing, the registration of any sectoral organization on any of the following grounds: 
whether directly or through any of its officers or members or indirectly 
(1) It is a religious sect or denomination, organization or association organized for 
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religious purposes; 
(2) It advocates violence or unlawful means to seek its goal; 
(3) It is a foreigjl organization; 
SECTION 8. Certzped List of Registered Sectoral Organizations. - The Commission 
shall, not later than sixty (60) days before an election, prepare a certified list of sectoral 
organizations, which have manifested their desire to partic&:zte in the sectoral representatives in 
the local sanggunian and distribute copies thereof to all precincts for posting in the polling places 
on election day. 
SECTION 9. Nomination of an Official Sectoral Representative. - Each registered 
sectoral organization shall be entitled to nominate only one candidate for a city or municipality; 
Provided, that, the sectoral organization concerned is registered with the Commission one 
hundred eighty (180) 'days before the day of election except for the purpose of the 2007 
elections. 
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SECTION 10. lQualiJications. - No person may be elected as electoral representative 
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unless he is: 
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(1) A citizen of the Philippines; 
(2) A registered voter in the city or municipality where he intends to be elected; 
(3) A resident therein for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the day of 
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the election; 
(4) Able to read and write Filipino or any other local language or dialect; 
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SECTION 11. 
sectoral representative: 
(1) Those sentenced 
offense punishable by 
( 5 )  
At least' twenty-three (23) years of age on election day in the case of sectoral 
representative in the Sungguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang Panlungsod; eighteen years of 
age in the case of Sanghniang Bayan; and 
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(6) A member of registered sectoral organization. 
Disqualifications. - The following are disqualified as candidate for 
by final judgment for an offense involving moral turpitude or for an 
one (1) year or more of imprisonment, within two (2) years after serving 
SECTION 12. CertiJcate of Candidacy. - In addition to Section 73 of the Omnibus 
Election Code, no certificate of candidacy shall be accepted or given due course without a 
certificate of nomination. 


SECTION 13. Filing of Certzjicate of Candidacy. - The certificate of candidacy for 
sectoral representative ,shall be filed with the City or Municipal Election Officer not later than 
sixty (60) days before the day of the election by the head of the sectoral organization or by the 
nominee, or by their duly authorized representatives. 
election and mid-day 
SECTION 14.1 Substitution of Candidate in Case of 
Death, Disqualification or 
Wthdvawal. - If, afiei the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, a candidate dies, 
withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by the same 
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of election day, said certificate may be filed with any Board of Election 
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SECTION 15. Disqualification Cases. - Petitions for disqualification of candidates shall 
be filed not later than seven (7) days from the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy. The 
courts shall give priority to cases of disqualification of candidates for sectoral representative by 
reason of violation of Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code, as amended, and Section 11 of 
this Act, to the end that a final judgment shall be rendered not later than ten (10) days before the 
day of the election. 
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SECTION 16. Manner of Voting. - Every voter is entitled to one (1) vote for a candidate 
of only one (1) sector he wants represented in the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang 
Panlungsod. 
The duly elected sectoral representatives in the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang 
Panlungsod within the province, except those from the Sangguniang Panlungsod of independent 


component cities and $ighly urbanized cities, shall elect from among themselves their sectoral 
representatives in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Provided, that, the third sector, though 
varying in different cities or municipalities, shall constitute one (1) sector likewise electing ffom 
among themselves the third sector representative to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Provided, 
further, that the election of sectoral representatives to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shall be 
conducted under the supervision of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). 
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SECTION 17. vacancy. - If a permanent vacancy occuls in the seats reserved for sectoral 
representatives in the; Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Panlungsod, the Sanggunian 
concerned shall certi~, 
not later than seven (7) days the existence of such vacancy. Thereafter, 
the local chief executije shall, not later than fifteen (15) days from the said certification, appoint 
a qualified person nominated by the winning sectoral organization to fill the vacancy. 
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If a vacancy occurs in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, an election shall he held in the 
manner prescribed in the preceding section seven (7) days after the assumption to office of the 
appointed sectoral repreqentative in the local Sanggunian concerned. 
The appointed 1 sectoral representative in the Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang 
Panlungsod and the newly elected sectoral representative in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shall 
serve only the unexpired tern of their predecessors. 
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SECTION 18. Term of Office. - The term of office of sectoral representatives shall be co- 
extensive with the term of the regularly elected members of their respective sanggunians. 
SECTION 19. Designation of Other Dates for Certain Pre-Election Acts. - If, it shall no 
longer h e p ossihle to o hserve the p eriods and dates prescribed by law for certain pre-election 
acts, the Commission shall fix other periods and dates in order to ensure the accomplishment of 
election activities so voters shall not be deprived of their right of suffrage. 


SECTION 20. hpplicability. - The pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, also 
known as the Local G vemment Code of 1991, and Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, as amended, also 
known as the 
Election Code, and other laws consistent herewith, shall apply. 
SECTION 21. Rules and Regulations. - The Commission shall, within fifteen (15) days 
after the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and regulations necessary to cany out the 
purpose of this Act and shall consult its accredited citizens' arms and registered sectoral 
organizations for this purpose. 
SECTION 22. Separability Clause. - If any provisian or part thereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 23. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of i nstruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary t 0, or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 24. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least 1 
Approved. 
1807 
vo (2) newspapers of general circulation.